Plastic pollution in the marine environment is one of the foremost environmental problems of our time, as it affects wildlife and human health both directly and indirectly through the effects of contaminants carried by microplastics. This study investigates the temporal and spatial distribution of plastic pellets and fragments in sandy beaches along the coastline of Northern Crete, during 2013. Their densities varied throughout the year in each beach, with highest densities during the summer and towards the upper parts of the beaches. The con- centrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sorbed on microplastics sampled from nine sandy beaches of Northern Crete was quantified using Gas chromatography – Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (GCITMS). PAHs concentrations ranged from non-detectable levels to 1592 ng/g and fluctuated
between sampling periods.
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