We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Seasonal and Spatial Variation in Microplastic Morphology in a Protected Tropical Freshwater Ecosystem: Evidence from Okomu National Park, Nigeria
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested river water at five sites in Okomu National Park, Nigeria, across dry and wet seasons, finding 170 tiny plastic particles. Thread-like fibers were most common overall, but their share dropped in the wet season while plastic fragments and films became more frequent. Plastic types varied by season but not much by location.
Microplastic (MP) pollution in tropical freshwater ecosystems remains poorly characterized, particularly within protected landscapes. This study assessed the spatial and seasonal variation in MP morphology in surface waters of Okomu National Park, Nigeria. Water samples were collected from five sampling stations across two dry and two wet seasons, yielding 170 particles classified into six morphological categories: filament, fibre, foam, bead, fragment and plastic film. Filaments dominated the assemblage, accounting for 71.0% of particles during the dry season and 49.1% during the wet season. In contrast, fragments increased from 8.1% to 17.6%, while plastic films increased from 0% to 14.8% and occurred at all stations during the wet season. Seasonal morphology composition differed significantly (χ² = 20.45, df = 5, p = 0.001; Cramér’s V = 0.347), with filaments and plastic films representing the principal contributors to the observed shift. Morphological richness and Shannon diversity generally increased during the wet season, although paired station-level differences were not statistically significant. Spatially, morphological composition showed substantial overlap among stations, with no significant station-level association (χ² = 18.09, df = 20, p = 0.581; Cramér’s V = 0.163). These findings demonstrate seasonal restructuring of MP morphology despite limited spatial differentiation and provide a baseline for continued 29/09monitoring of plastic pollution in protected tropical freshwater ecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic particles in river sediments and water of southwestern Nigeria: insights on the occurrence, seasonal distribution, composition, and source apportionment
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Seasonal dynamics of micro- and nanoplastics and associated pollutants in Aarin River: Insights into abundance and digestion impact
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured micro- and nanoplastics in Nigeria's Aarin River across two seasons, finding higher particle counts during the rainy season (up to 130 particles per liter in water) alongside elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. The data highlight how seasonal rainfall flushes plastics and co-contaminants into West African freshwater systems that communities rely on, yet which remain severely understudied.
Morphological Predictors of Microplastic Accumulation in the Ona River System, Southwestern Nigeria
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Macrodebris and microplastics pollution in Nigeria: first report on abundance, distribution and composition
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted the first assessment of macrodebris and microplastics in five rivers in southeastern Nigeria, finding plastics as the dominant macrodebris type at 59% and documenting small microplastic particles as small as 11 micrometers across all sites.
Microplastic contamination on urban river under different precipitation rate and land use gradient
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers sampled water, sediment, and fish across nine sites in a Javanese urban stream through wet and dry seasons, finding that microplastic abundance in water was higher during dry conditions when developed land use concentrated runoff, while seasonal flushing during the wet season obscured these land-use patterns and fish accumulation depended more on species behavior than pollution levels.
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.