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Microplastics in marine beach and seabed sediments along the coasts of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar in Tanzania
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Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination in beach and seabed sediments along the coasts of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, Tanzania, with polyethylene and polyester the dominant polymers and fragments and fibers the most common particle types.
Microplastics (MPs) pollution in the marine environment has been one of the biggest challenge in developing countries due to a lack of proper solid waste management strategies. This study reports the distribution and types of MPs in beach and seabed zones of the Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar coasts. A total of 641 MPs were identified across all sites, of which 84 % and 16 % originated from beach and seabed sediments, respectively. Fragment and fibers were the most common types in both seabed and beach zone confirming the secondary sources of the MPs. Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR), revealed four types of polymers with polyethylene (PE) (56%) and polyester (PS) (24 %) being the most common. Microplastics were more abundant on beaches than in seabed zone. A larger abundance of PE and PS reveals a wide range of MPs entering the Ocean.
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Microplastics in Marine Sediments from Dar es Salaam Coast: Spatial Distribution and Characterization
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Researchers found microplastic contamination in marine sediments at four beaches along the Dar es Salaam coast in Tanzania, with the highest concentrations near the surface layer. Identified polymers included polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, and polyamide in fiber, fragment, sponge, and pellet forms.
Microplastics in Marine Nearshore Surface Waters of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, East Africa
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Researchers collected surface water microplastics using 300-micrometer manta nets from eight sites across Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar during low and high tides, finding higher microplastic abundances in Dar es Salaam than Zanzibar and greater concentrations during high tide at both locations. Fragments and fibers in the 2-5 mm size range dominated, with white and blue particles most commonly identified.
Emergence of plastic pollution on tourism beaches in Zanzibar, Tanzania
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Researchers documented the emergence of significant plastic pollution on tourism beaches in Zanzibar, Tanzania, finding plastic items — particularly single-use packaging — as the dominant type of litter. The findings highlight the growing threat of marine litter to coastal tourism economies and ecosystems in East Africa.
Microplastics in beach sediments and cockles (Anadara antiquata) along the Tanzanian coastline
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Researchers found microplastics in beach sediments at 18 sites along the Tanzanian coastline and in cockles (Anadara antiquata), with levels varying by anthropogenic activity, representing one of the first systematic assessments of microplastic contamination in East Africa.
A Review on Microplastics Characteristics and Pollution in Tanzania: Mitigating Strategies and Future Perspectives
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This review synthesizes the limited literature on microplastic contamination in Tanzania, identifying polymer types, environmental distribution, pollution sources, and knowledge gaps, and recommending national monitoring strategies and waste management improvements.
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.