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Seasonal Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Microplastics in Water and Sediments of Tropical Urban–Agricultural River System; A Case of Ngerengere River, Tanzania
Original title: Seasonal Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Microplastics in Water and Sediments of Tropical Urban–Agricultural River System; A case of Ngerengere River, Tanzania
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Researchers found microplastics — tiny plastic fragments too small to easily see — in both the water and riverbed sediment of Tanzania's Ngerengere River, which flows through farms and urban areas before supplying water to nearby communities. This matters because rivers like this one are often used for drinking water, irrigating crops, and fishing, meaning these plastic particles could make their way into the food and water people consume every day. The study highlights that plastic pollution is a growing problem even in developing countries with limited water monitoring, underscoring the need for better waste management to protect both ecosystems and human health.
Aquatic ecosystems are globally contaminated with microplastics (MP), making water resources in developing countries not spared from this problem. However, data on microplastic levels in Tanzanian’s freshwater systems is still scarce. Therefore, this study assessed the microplastic abundance in water and sediment of the Ngerengere river using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy technology.
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