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‘The Plastic Nile’: First Evidence of Microplastic Contamination in Fish from the Nile River (Cairo, Egypt)
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Researchers provided the first evidence of microplastic contamination in fish from the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt, finding that over 75% of sampled Nile tilapia and catfish contained microplastics in their digestive tracts, with fibers and fragments being the dominant particle types.
The presence of microplastics (MPs) in the world's longest river, the Nile River, has yet to be reported. This small-scale study aimed to provide the first information about MPs in the Nile River by sampling the digestive tracts of two fish species, the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, n = 29) and catfish (Bagrus bayad, n = 14). Fish were purchased from local sellers in Cairo, and then their gastrointestinal tracts were dissected and examined for MPs. Over 75% of the fish sampled contained MPs in their digestive tract (MP prevalence of 75.9% and 78.6% for Nile tilapia and catfish, respectively). The most abundant MP type was fibers (65%), the next most abundant type was films (26.5%), and the remaining MPs were fragments. Polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) were all non-destructively identified by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A comparison with similar studies from marine and freshwater environments shows that this high level of MP ingestion is rarely found and that fish sampled from the Nile River in Cairo are potentially among the most in danger of consuming MPs worldwide. Further research needs to be conducted, but, in order to mitigate microplastic pollution in the Nile River, we must act now.
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Plastic pollution in fish (O. niloticus and C. gariepinus) in a Nile Canal, Delta of Egypt.
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the gastrointestinal tracts of 127 Nile tilapia and 32 African catfish from a Nilotic canal in Egypt's Delta, finding microplastic occurrence rates of 33.9% and 59.4% respectively with fibers as the dominant morphology. The study analyzed the relationship between microplastic ingestion and fish biological parameters, feeding habits, and seasonal variation.
Distribution and Abundance of Microplastics (MPs) in the Water, Sediment, and Some Freshwater Animals, Nile River, Upper Egypt
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Researchers found microplastics in all water, sediment, and animal samples collected from the Nile River in Upper Egypt, with Edfu showing the highest abundances and crayfish accumulating the most microplastics in gills while African catfish had the highest alimentary canal burden.
The first evidence of microplastic presence in the River Nile in Khartoum, Sudan: Using Nile Tilapia fish as a bio-indicator
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This scoping study investigated microplastic presence in Nile Tilapia fish from the River Nile in Khartoum, Sudan -- the first such study in Sudanese freshwaters -- finding microplastics across sampled fish. The authors establish baseline data for a major African river system with previously no microplastic records.
Microplastic-associated toxicants in the Nile River: a scoping review of bioaccumulation and health risks
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This review summarizes existing research on microplastics in Egypt's Nile River, found in water, sediment, and over 75% of sampled Cairo fish. Studies show microplastics can carry heavy metals, pollutants, and antibiotics, causing oxidative stress and reproductive problems in aquatic organisms, though human health effects in Nile populations remain largely unstudied.
Microplastic contamination in water, fish, and shrimp collected from the Nile River in Upper Egypt poses ecological and human health hazards
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Researchers found significant microplastic contamination in Nile River water, fish, and shrimp in Upper Egypt, with urban areas showing the highest levels. They estimated that adults living in the area may ingest thousands of microplastic particles per kilogram of body weight annually through water alone. Since millions of people depend on the Nile for drinking water and food, these findings raise serious concerns about long-term health effects from chronic microplastic exposure.
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