First Evidence of Anthropogenic Activity Contribution to Spatial Abundance and Characteristics of Microplastics in Selected Urban Shores of Lake Tanganyika

Study on the distribution characteristics of microplastics in Lake Yanaka

Realizing the global presence of microplastics in urban lakes

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A global literature review of microplastic research in urban lakes found widespread contamination across water, sediments, and fish, with published data concentrated in Asian megacities, while systematic open-access databases integrating raw cross-city data remain absent. Urban lakes serve as both sinks and exposure points for microplastics, making their monitoring critical for understanding human exposure risk in densely populated areas where billions of people live near potentially contaminated water bodies.

Water and sediment microplastic dynamics in African inland freshwater systems: a review

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This review pulled together 41 studies to show that Africa's rivers and lakes are widely contaminated with microplastics, tiny plastic fragments and fibers, with even higher levels showing up in sediment (the mud and sand at the bottom) than in the water itself, especially during rainy seasons. Since these freshwater sources are often used for drinking water and fishing, this contamination matters because we still don't fully know how ingesting these particles over time affects human health, making this an area that urgently needs more research and better plastic waste management.

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.

Distribution and composition of microplastics in coastal sediments of urban and rural islands in the Maldives

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This study found microplastic contamination in coastal sediments across all sampled urban and rural islands in the Maldives, with over 90% of particles smaller than 50 micrometers and dominated by polyamide, polyethylene, and polystyrene—patterns suggesting both local waste inputs and ocean-scale transport contribute to contamination across the archipelago.