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Assessing contamination of microplastics in the Ghanaian coastal sea using a self-constructed LADI trawl
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Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in surface waters off the coast of Ghana using a self-constructed Low-Tech Aquatic Debris Instrument trawl, finding concentrations of 1.14–2.79 particles/m with fragments and pellets most abundant, and identifying polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene as the dominant polymers via ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy.
Almost everywhere in the marine ecosystem contains microplastics. Although their environmental contamination is a global problem, relatively little is known about their distribution and abundance in the Gulf of Guinea. This study looked at the spatial dynamics of microplastics in the sea surface water off the coast of Ghana. Four chosen areas were found to have non-variable concentrations ranging from 1.14 to 2.79 particles m using a self-constructed Low-Tech Aquatic Debris Instrument (LADI) trawl (333 μm mesh). The most abundant shapes were fragments and pellets, while the most common colors were colored and transparent particles. The polymer types found in the microplastics selected for investigation using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflectance mode (ATR-FT-IR) were Polypropylene, Polyethylene, and Polystyrene. These results provide an important baseline on microplastic pollution along the Ghanaian coast suggesting the LADI trawl as an accurate quantitative sampling tool for microplastics from sea surface water.
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Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in 24 marine fish species from coastal Ghana and found plastics in 58% of gastrointestinal tracts and 42% of gill samples. Omnivorous fish had the highest microplastic ingestion rates, and PVC was the most prevalent polymer type identified using advanced laser imaging. The findings raise food safety concerns, as these fish species are commonly consumed by the local population.
Microplastics in the Gulf of Guinea: An analysis of concentrations and distribution in sediments, gills, and guts of fish collected off the coast of Ghana
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Researchers measured microplastics in ocean sediment and two common fish species off the coast of Ghana in the Gulf of Guinea. Microplastics were found in the gills and guts of both fish species, with fibers and pellets being the most common types. Since these are commercially important food fish, the contamination represents a direct pathway for microplastic exposure to the local population through their diet.
Invisible Peril: Assessing microplastic pollution in Ghanaian mangroves
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This study assessed microplastic pollution in mangrove sediments in Ghana, measuring particle abundance, types, and polymer composition across multiple mangrove sites. Microplastics were ubiquitous in all sampled mangroves, with highest concentrations near urban and fishing communities.
Microplastic ingestion by pelagic and demersal fish species from the Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean, off the Coast of Ghana
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Researchers found microplastics in three pelagic and demersal fish species off Ghana's Atlantic coast, with Sardinella maderensis showing the highest ingestion rate (41%) and industrially produced pellets being the most dominant particle type at 31%. The study confirms widespread microplastic contamination in West African fish stocks and calls for further regional research.
Quantification and characterization of microplastics in surface water samples from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean using laser direct infrared imaging
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Researchers quantified microplastics in Northeast Atlantic Ocean surface waters using laser direct infrared imaging, detecting particles down to 20 micrometers and revealing microplastic concentrations and polymer compositions across eight sampling locations.
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