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Assessment of microplastic particles (0.3-5 mm) in the sand of Togo's beaches
Summary
Scientists tested sand from six beaches in Togo and found tiny plastic pieces (called microplastics) at every single site, mostly broken-down fragments from common plastics like grocery bags and food packaging. This matters because these beaches are used for fishing, swimming, and daily life, and microplastics that build up in coastal environments can eventually make their way into seafood and drinking water, raising concerns about long-term human exposure. This study is one of the first to measure the problem in Togo, giving researchers a starting point to track whether it gets worse over time.
Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive in marine environments and represent a growing global concern.In Togo, however, environmental contamination by microplastics remains underexplored.The present study aimed to fill this gap and to establish a baseline for microplastic presence along Togolese beaches.30 samples were collected across six sites along the Togolese coastline to cover the diverse characteristics and anthropogenic activities.Microplastics (0.3 to 5 mm) were identified by ATR-FTIR analysis at all sites, with averages varying from 16 ± 20 to 61 ± 51 MP m -2 (2 ± 3 to 11 ± 13 MP kg -1 ).Morphological analysis established that fragments were the dominant form (67%), while blue and green colors were the most common (51%).The chemical analysis revealed the predominance of polyethylene (48%), followed by polypropylene (34%) and polystyrene (14%).