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Diversity and quantity of macro-and microplastics in irrigation farms sourcing water from an urban river: a case of Arusha Tanzania
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This study assessed the quantity and diversity of macro- and microplastics in smallholder irrigation farms sourcing water from an urban river in Arusha, Tanzania. Plastics were found in both the river and farm soils, with agricultural and urban waste identified as key sources.
Increased concentration of plastics in urban rivers and agricultural farms causes degradation of river system functionality and reduces the productivity of agricultural soils, respectively. This study assessed the quantity and types of macro-and microplastics found in dependent smallholder irrigation farms downstream of Arusha city in Tanzania. The microplastics' concentration from the sites was visualized using dissecting microscope 40X, enumerated and categorized based on the shape, color, and sizes for soil samples. Then the suspected materials’ spectral were determined using the Attenuated Total Reflectance- Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR). Afterwards, the confirmations and identifications of the polymers' types from spectral were confirmed using SiMPle Software. The average microplastic from the water column was 0.57 ± 0.27 items L-1 , sediment 0.17± 0.07 items g-1, while in the irrigation farms ranged from 102 to 728 items with a mean of 0.69 ± 0.35 items g-1 . However, no international standards have been developed to ascertain the pollution level, but the reported values are unsafe to the environment. Other studies conducted in similar conditions reported mean values within the range of values found in this study and more. Polyethylene was the dominating type of macroplastics evaluated from riverbanks and irrigation farms with a frequency of occurrence 100 %, while polystyrene was abundant in all microplastics samples. Farms adjacent to the irrigation canal had a greater number of microplastics and macroplastics. Thus this study reveals urban rivers as the primary sources of plastics pollution in the irrigation farms situated in flood-prone zones.
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Analysis of macro-and microplastics in the water, soil/sediment in riverine, riverbanks and irrigated farms in Arusha Tanzania
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Researchers analyzed both macro- and microplastics in water, sediment, and soil from rivers, riverbanks, and irrigated farmland in Arusha, Tanzania. They found that macroplastics were prevalent in riverine environments and degraded into microplastics, which then spread into agricultural soils through irrigation.
Analysis of Macro- and Microplastics in Riverine, Riverbanks, and Irrigated Farms in Arusha, Tanzania
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A study of macro- and microplastics in rivers, riverbanks, and irrigated farms in Arusha, Tanzania found that microplastics in irrigated farm soils were four times higher than in riverine sediments, with an exponential relationship between macroplastic and microplastic abundance in farm soils.
Microplastics in irrigation water and vegetable garden soils adjacent to the Msimbazi river, Tanzania
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Researchers examined microplastics in irrigation water from the Msimbazi River in Tanzania and adjacent vegetable garden soils, finding higher MP concentrations downstream (14.33 MPs per 10 mL) compared to upstream, with garden soils similarly elevated at 34 MPs per gram near the river. The most prevalent polymers were LDPE (18-21%) and PP (20-22%), highlighting contamination risks for food crops irrigated with polluted water.
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.
Vertical distribution of microplastics in urban farmland soils. A case of Mabibo Bonde la Mchicha farm, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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Researchers mapped the vertical distribution of microplastics in farmland soils in an urban fringe area, finding that particles were not uniformly distributed by depth and that agricultural tillage influenced vertical mixing. Fibers and fragments were most abundant, predominantly from agricultural plastic films and irrigation water.
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