Monitoring plastic and Hg pollution impacts on two commercial species from the North Evoikos Gulf

This study examines the presence of microplastics (MPs) and mercury (Hg) concentrations in 230 Boop boops L., and 203 Nephrops norvegicus L., sampled from the North Evoikos during the years 2021, 2022 and 2024. Microplastics were detected in 56.1% of B. boops, with a mean abundance of 1.74 MPs/individual, and in 79.3% of N. norvegicus, with a mean of 3.72 MPs/ individual. Polymer composition analysis revealed species-specific differences in the dominant MP types. Mercury concentrations remained within the permissible limits established by European regulatory standards, with mean levels of 0.32 mg/kg w.w. in N. norvegicus and 0.05 mg/kg w.w. in B. boops indicating no immediate risk to human health (THQ <1).