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Microplastic Pollution and Catchment Morphometry in First-Order Streams of the Ona River System, Southwestern Nigeria
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Researchers studying streams in Nigeria found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) show up in much higher amounts in waterways near crowded towns and busy commercial areas, not because of the shape or size of the river basin, but simply because more people and activity mean more plastic waste getting in. This matters because it suggests that cleaning up local pollution sources (like litter and waste management) may do more to protect drinking water and aquatic ecosystems than trying to predict contamination based on a river's natural geography alone.
Microplastic (MP) pollution in river systems is increasingly recognized as a critical environmental challenge, yet the extent to which basin-scale geomorphology controls MP distribution remains poorly constrained, particularly in rapidly urbanizing tropical catchments. This study integrates catchment morphometric analysis with water-column MP sampling across eight first-order streams in the Ona River Basin, southwestern Nigeria. MP concentrations exhibited pronounced spatial heterogeneity (13.58-63.58 items L⁻¹), with consistently higher values in streams draining densely populated and commercially active areas. Simple and multiple regression analyses revealed weak and statistically non-significant relationships between MP concentrations and classical morphometric indices, including stream length, form factor, circularity ratio, and elongation ratio, although the latter showed a marginal inverse trend. Diagnostic evaluation confirmed limited predictive capacity of morphometric parameters. These exploratory results (120 data points across 8 streams) suggest localized anthropogenic inputs are more closely associated with MP distribution than basin-scale geomorphic form, though anthropogenic and connectivity variables were assessed qualitatively rather than measured directly. The findings highlight the limits of applying traditional morphometric frameworks to synthetic pollutants in urban tropical rivers and the need for integrated approaches combining geomorphological context with socio-environmental indicators.
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Researchers evaluated the influence of catchment morphological characteristics — including elevation, slope, channel width, and depth — on microplastic pollution dynamics across 12 sites in the Ona River Basin of southwestern Nigeria across four seasonal phases. Microplastic concentrations ranged from 16.93 to 77.67 items/L, peaking during the dry season, with fibers as the dominant type and site morphology playing a significant role in spatial distribution.
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in river water and sediments across southwestern Nigeria, providing some of the first baseline data for the region. They found microplastics at every sampling site, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms, and concentrations varying by season and location. The study points to urban runoff, agricultural activities, and inadequate waste management as the primary sources of this pollution.
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