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Microplastic Presence in Sediment and Water of a Lagoon Bordering the Urban Agglomeration of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria
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Researchers conducted the first investigation of microplastic contamination in water and sediment of a Lagos, Nigeria lagoon. They found microplastic particles including fibers and fragments in both matrices, establishing baseline contamination data for this urban coastal water body.
Microplastics are a fast emerging group of contaminants. Their worldwide occurrence in water, sediment, and aquatic fauna raises questions and concerns as to their probable effects on aquatic life and ecology. This study investigates for the first time presence, abundance, and types of microplastics in water and sediment from a lagoon bordering the large urban agglomeration of Lagos in Nigeria, and renders additional information about grain size and sediment composition. Water and sediment samples were collected from four locations in the Lagos lagoon and a tributary. The abundance and distribution of microplastics in four range classes were determined for the sampled locations. Plastic particles were counted using digital microscopy, and identified with FTIR and pyrolysis GC-MS. The abundance of microplastics ranged from 310-2319 microplastic particles/kg in sediment, and 139-303 particles/m3 in water. The large discrepancy in the sediments can be explained by sediment characteristics as more microplastics were detected in the fine-grained sediments of Makoko. Fibres were the predominant shape found in all samples followed by fragments and few films whereas spheres were missing. Fibres were more abundant in water (92.6 %) than in sediments (32.5 %) while more fragments and foils occurred in sediments. The most commonly used polymers polypropylene and polyethylene were also the most detected ones in both matrices. Compared to other studies in Nigeria, our findings especially in the coarser sediments were lower while the fine-grained site revealed similar results.
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Microplastic Presence in Sediment and Water of a Lagoon Bordering the Urban Agglomeration of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria
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This study investigated microplastic contamination in water and sediment from a lagoon bordering Lagos, Nigeria, finding plastics present at all sites. The study is the first of its kind in the area and raises concerns about how microplastic exposure affects aquatic organisms and the communities that depend on this water body for food and livelihoods.
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in sediments from four sites along Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria, finding MP abundance of 9–12 particles/kg with PET fibers dominating, and identifying potentially toxic polymers that pose long-term ecological risks to this West African coastal ecosystem.
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Microplastics were found in beach sediments at all four sampled sites in Lagos State, Nigeria, with fragments dominating and polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene identified. The results provide baseline data for West Africa's most populous city and highlight the need for better waste management in rapidly urbanizing coastal regions.
Occurrence and Characteristics of Microplastics in the Surface Water and Sediment of Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria
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Researchers characterized the occurrence, abundance, and physical properties of microplastics in the surface water and sediments of Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria, identifying key polymer types and potential local sources. This study fills an important data gap for West African urban water bodies, demonstrating that rapidly developing coastal megacities face acute microplastic contamination threatening both local fisheries and public health.
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