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COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in certain types of litter, many of which are expected to end up in the marine environment. The present study aimed to monitor the pandemic-related litter pollution along the Greek coastal environment. Overall, 59 beach and 83 underwater clean-ups were conducted. Litter was categorized as: PPE (face masks and gloves), COVID-19-related, single-use plastic (SUP) and takeaway items. PPE, dominated by face masks (86.21 %), accounted for 0.29 % of all litter. The average PPE density was 3.1 × 10−3 items m−2 and 2.59 items/ 100 m. COVID-19-related items represented 1.04 % of the total. Wet wipes showed higher densities (0.67 % of all litter) than in the pre-COVID era, while no increase in SUP and takeaway items was observed. Benthic PPE, dominated by gloves (83.95 %), represented 0.26 % of the total. The mean PPE density was 2.5 × 10−3 items m−2. • Pandemic-related litter pollution was monitored in Greek coastal environments. • PPE, dominated by face masks, accounted for 0.29 % of the total. • COVID-19-related litter accounted for 1.04 % of the total. • PPE and wet wipes are indicators of pandemic-driven plastic pollution. • Benthic PPE, dominated by gloves (83.95 %), represented 0.26 % of the total. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the bottom water in Amvrakikos Gulf in Ionian Sea at western Greece for a 50-year timespan was assessed by benthic foraminifera assemblages. The degradation of the bottom water of Amvrakikos has been a catalyst for the surface water degradation. The east basin has shown permanent low environmental quality in bottom waters since 1980, while the west basin has been under seasonal hypoxic regime since 2000. The most adverse environmental conditions occurred in 1990–2000 and 2005–2010 coinciding with the recorded fish mortality events. The major cause of the environmental quality improvement of the bottom water is the intrusion of seawater. In western areas of the gulf, where the influence of the seawater is high, the decreased temperature improves the environmental conditions, while in the areas influenced by river discharges (east and northern), the environmental conditions are depended on multiple causes like organic matter input and surface salinity. [Display omitted] • Benthic foraminifera analysis in sediments of a semi-enclosed gulf • Evaluation of bottom water environmental quality in a 50-year period (1960–2010) • Factors affecting locally the bottom hypoxic development in the gulf • Hypoxia/anoxia in bottom waters precedes the anoxic events in the surface waters. • Impact of meteorological change and anthropogenic interventions on hypoxia/anoxia [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]