This study investigates the sources and morphological characteristics of plastic waste across diverse Egyptian environments—marine (Mediterranean and Red Seas), freshwater (River Nile), and terrestrial (urban streets). Predominant plastics found in various marine areas include polyethylene and polypropylene, originating from both maritime and urban sources. In the Mediterranean, these plastics show higher levels of UV-induced degradation, resulting in fragments measuring 18–22 mm in size and 1–1.2 mm in thickness. The River Nile exhibits polystyrene fragments, with average sizes of 20–26 mm and thicknesses of 0.7–0.9 mm influenced by urban and agricultural runoff. Urban streets display a mix (polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene), with thicker fragments (averaging 1.8 mm) due to mechanical wear and pollution. Analysis shows varying surface loss: Mediterranean (29 %), Red Sea (20–23 %), freshwater (18 %), and urban streets (up to 30 %), indicate differential degradation influenced by environmental conditions and human activities. These findings underscore the need for targeted policies to mitigate plastic pollution across Egypt's landscapes, crucial for global conservation efforts.

中文翻译：

---

埃及不同环境中收集的小塑料碎片的表征、表面变形分析和来源


本研究调查了埃及不同环境中塑料垃圾的来源和形态特征——海洋（地中海和红海）、淡水（尼罗河）和陆地（城市街道）。在各种海洋区域发现的主要塑料包括聚乙烯和聚丙烯，它们来自海洋和城市。在地中海，这些塑料显示出更高水平的紫外线诱导降解，导致碎片尺寸为 18-22 毫米，厚度为 1-1.2 毫米。尼罗河呈现聚苯乙烯碎片，平均尺寸为 20-26 毫米，厚度为 0.7-0.9 毫米，受城市和农业径流的影响。由于机械磨损和污染，城市街道呈现出混合物（聚丙烯、聚乙烯和聚苯乙烯），碎片较厚（平均 1.8 毫米）。分析显示，不同的表面损失：地中海 （29%）、红海 （20-23%）、淡水 （18%） 和城市街道（高达 30%）表明受环境条件和人类活动影响的不同退化。这些发现强调了制定有针对性的政策来减轻埃及景观中的塑料污染的必要性，这对全球保护工作至关重要。