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Back-shore vegetation as trap for marine plastic pollution, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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This study investigated plastic litter abundance, type, and spatial distribution on five Dar es Salaam beaches, finding significantly higher plastic litter density in vegetated back-shore zones (10.9 ± 7.2 items/m²) compared to unvegetated zones (3.4 ± 2.6 items/m²), with 5,098 total items collected. The results demonstrate that back-shore vegetation acts as a plastic trap, and the authors recommend beach monitoring programs include vegetated zones to accurately account for total plastic pollution levels.
Dar es Salaam in Tanzania is challenged by extensive plastic pollution, which accumulate at the local beaches. This study investigates abundance, type and spatial distribution of plastic litter (>2 cm) on five beaches in Dar es Salaam. Each studied beach consisted of an unvegetated zone closest to the sea and a vegetated back-shore zone. A total of 5098 beached plastic items were collected, corresponding to 3.4 ± 2.6 items m-2 in the unvegetated zone and 10.9 ± 7.2 items m-2 in the vegetated back-shore. The results show that significantly more plastic litter occurs in the vegetated zone of the beach compared to the unvegetated zone. Consequently, this study suggests that beach litter monitoring programmes should include the vegetated back-shore to more accurately account for the level of beach plastic pollution.
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Microplastics in marine beach and seabed sediments along the coasts of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar in Tanzania
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Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination in beach and seabed sediments along the coasts of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, Tanzania, with polyethylene and polyester the dominant polymers and fragments and fibers the most common particle types.
Spatial distribution of microplastics in the superficial sediment of a mangrove in Southeast Brazil: A comparison between fringe and basin
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Microplastic distribution was compared between fringe and basin mangrove zones in southeastern Brazil, finding that basin forests trapped significantly more microplastics than fringe areas due to lower hydrodynamic energy and greater sediment retention.
Microplastics in Marine Sediments from Dar es Salaam Coast: Spatial Distribution and Characterization
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Researchers found microplastic contamination in marine sediments at four beaches along the Dar es Salaam coast in Tanzania, with the highest concentrations near the surface layer. Identified polymers included polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, and polyamide in fiber, fragment, sponge, and pellet forms.
Patterns and implications of plastic accumulation in mangrove ecosystems and sandy beaches in Western and Central regions of Ghana, West Africa
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This study assessed plastic litter abundance and composition across sandy beaches and mangroves in Ghana's Western and Central regions across wet and dry seasons, collecting 1,895 items dominated by polyethylene bags, bottles, and fragments. Mangroves acted as sinks for plastic bags while sandy beaches accumulated bottles, with urbanized areas showing higher litter densities and land-based sources accounting for 70% of all items.
Is the weight of plastic litter correlated with vegetal wrack? A case study from a Central Italian beach
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Researchers found that vegetal wrack on a central Italian beach acts as a trap for plastic litter, with large microplastics (2.5-5 mm) being the most abundant size category, suggesting plant material entrapment plays a role in coastal plastic accumulation.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.