The Department of Ecology at the College of Science at the University of Basra organized a seminar on microplastics in the waters and sediments of the Shatt al-Arab.

The study, presented by graduate student Duaa Muhammad Ali Sadiq, aimed to provide an introduction to plastics and their common types, define microplastics, their sources in the aquatic environment, and their effects on aquatic organisms.

The study addressed methods for extracting microplastics from waters and sediments, determining the quantities, types, and shapes of microplastics, and measuring some environmental variables in the waters and sediments of the Shatt al-Arab.

The study recommended studying other sites in the Shatt al-Arab to determine their contamination with microplastics, highlighting the importance of adequate waste management to reduce plastic pollution, and using specialized treatment techniques to reduce plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems.