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Recommendation: Troubled water: Tracing the plastic tide on Sierra Leone’s beaches — R0/PR2
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This study assessed whether microplastics affect the growth and metabolic activity of marine bacteria and phytoplankton. Inhibitory effects on bacterial growth and photosynthesis were observed at environmentally relevant concentrations, suggesting that microplastics could impair microbial-mediated processes in ocean ecosystems.
This study provides the first investigation into quantities, types, and potential sources of anthropogenic beach litter in Sierra Leone. Beach litter surveys were conducted monthly at four sites over 11 months. A total of 72,901 litter items (1,246 kg dry weight) were categorised. Across all sites, an average of 1,657 items per 100 m (SD = 1,639) and 28.32 kg per 100 m (SD = 37.48) were recorded. Plastics accounted for 70% of the litter by count and 49% by weight. The three most abundant items by count were plastic bottles (25%), plastic caps and lids (13%), and plastic water sachets (12%). By weight, the three most abundant items were plastic bottles (36%), flip-flops (20%), and shoes (9%). Litter amounts decreased from wet to dry season. We provide the following policy recommendations: improving drinking water access and sanitation, waste management, infrastructure and behaviour change.
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Troubled water: Tracing the plastic tide on Sierra Leone’s beaches
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This study documents the types, quantities, and origins of plastic debris found on beaches in Sierra Leone, a West African nation with limited waste management infrastructure. By tracing the sources of plastic litter, the research identifies both local and transoceanic contributors to coastal pollution. The findings provide a baseline for policy interventions and highlight the disproportionate environmental burden faced by lower-income coastal nations.
Patterns and implications of plastic accumulation in mangrove ecosystems and sandy beaches in Western and Central regions of Ghana, West Africa
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This study assessed plastic litter abundance and composition across sandy beaches and mangroves in Ghana's Western and Central regions across wet and dry seasons, collecting 1,895 items dominated by polyethylene bags, bottles, and fragments. Mangroves acted as sinks for plastic bags while sandy beaches accumulated bottles, with urbanized areas showing higher litter densities and land-based sources accounting for 70% of all items.
Amounts, Sources, Fates and Ecological Impacts of Marine Litter and Microplastics in the Western Indian Ocean Region: A Review and Recommendations for Actions
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This review synthesizes 147 marine litter studies from the Western Indian Ocean region spanning 1973-2021, characterizing quantities and composition of litter across ecosystem compartments, identifying urban runoff and beachgoers as dominant sources, summarizing organism interactions with litter, and providing recommendations to address knowledge gaps and regional management needs.
The first assessment of marine litter on Somalian coast: The case of Liido Beach, Mogadishu
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This first assessment of marine litter on Somalia's Liido Beach found nearly 120,000 items, with plastics accounting for 89% of debris and a mean density of 6.25 items per square meter. Local recreational and shoreline activities were the dominant pollution sources, and the prevalence of plastic litter poses serious threats to marine biodiversity in the West Indian Ocean.
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Researchers surveyed plastic waste at Al-Shuaybah beach in Saudi Arabia, cataloging 1,504 plastic items dominated by unidentified fragments, water bottles, and bottle caps, providing baseline data for marine litter management policies in the region.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.