Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic Abundance in the Surface Water, Clams (Corbicula fluminea) and Fish Species (Oreochromis niloticus and Coregonus kiyi) from the Gaborone Dam, Botswana

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in water, clams, and fish from the Gaborone Dam in Botswana, finding microplastics present across all sample types. Surface water contained 36 to 76 particles per liter, with the highest concentrations near deeper areas of the dam, while fibers were the dominant type found in fish organs. The study suggests that urbanized freshwater environments in southern Africa are accumulating microplastics that are entering aquatic food webs.

2023 Water Air & Soil Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic abundances in freshwater fishes in a subtropical African reservoir

Scientists examined freshwater fish from a reservoir in South Africa and found microplastics in nearly 87% of the fish across eight species. Fibers were the most common type of microplastic, found in both the gills and digestive tracts of the fish. Since these fish are consumed by local communities, the widespread contamination raises concerns about human exposure to microplastics through freshwater fish, an understudied area compared to marine seafood.

2024 Discover Sustainability 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic load in the surface water and Tilapia sparrmanii (Smith, 1840) of the river systems of Okavango Delta, Botswana

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in surface water and the digestive organs of Tilapia sparrmanii collected from the Okavango Delta in Botswana, providing the first characterization of microplastic spatial distribution and polymer types in this major inland freshwater wetland.

2022 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence and densities in small subtropical reservoirs of Southern Africa

Researchers measured microplastic levels across seasons in small reservoirs in southern Africa, finding that microplastic concentrations were higher during the dry season and in reservoirs near areas with greater human activity. The study establishes baseline data for a region where plastic pollution research is scarce and warns that contamination could worsen without targeted intervention.

2025 Discover Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Nowhere to go! Microplastic abundances in freshwater fishes living near wastewater plants

Researchers found that freshwater fish near South African wastewater treatment plants contained more microplastics downstream, with seasonal variation showing higher levels during the hot-wet season and larger fish accumulating more particles due to greater food demand.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection and occurrence of microplastics in the stomach of commercial fish species from a municipal water supply lake in southwestern Nigeria

Researchers screened and detected microplastics in the stomachs of commonly consumed fish from a Nigerian municipal water supply lake, providing baseline data for a region where such records are scarce and raising concerns about human dietary exposure.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 119 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment on Microplastics Contamination in Freshwater Fish: a Case Study of the Ubolratana Reservoir, Thailand

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in freshwater fish from the Ubolratana Reservoir, Thailand, finding that 96.4% of 14 examined species had ingested microplastics, and assessed abundance, size, colour, and shape of particles from stomach and intestinal contents across sampling stations.

2021 International Journal of Geomate 27 citations
Article Tier 2

The first evidence of microplastic presence in the River Nile in Khartoum, Sudan: Using Nile Tilapia fish as a bio-indicator

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.

2023 Heliyon 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in freshwater fish: first insights from the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand

Researchers found microplastics in 100% of 89 fish gastrointestinal tracts sampled from the Mekong River in Thailand, averaging 23.76 items per individual, with fragments being the dominant shape (83%), particles under 100 µm the most common size, and 17 polymer types identified across species.

2025 Ecologica Montenegrina
Article Tier 2

Microplastics profile in fishes from selected burrow pits: a case of plastic pollution in Kano metropolis, Nigeria

Researchers detected microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts, gills, and muscle tissues of Nile tilapia and redbelly tilapia collected from burrow pits in Kano, Nigeria, confirming that plastic pollution has penetrated freshwater fish in a landlocked urban African setting.

2022 Environmental Forensics 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in commercial fish species from the Ethiopian rift valley’s Lake Hawassa, Ethiopia

Researchers documented microplastic occurrence in commercial fish species from Ethiopian rift valley lakes, detecting plastics in gut contents across multiple species and characterizing polymer types linked to local agricultural and urban pollution sources.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of urbanisation and a wastewater treatment plant on microplastic densities along a subtropical river system

Researchers quantified microplastic pollution in sediments along a subtropical river system in southern Africa and examined how urbanization and wastewater treatment affect contamination levels. They found that microplastic densities were highest near urban areas and downstream of wastewater treatment plants. The study suggests that urban development and inadequate wastewater infrastructure are key drivers of freshwater microplastic pollution in the region.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 63 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastics in African freshwater sediments: A systematic review of characteristics, abundance and analytical methods

This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in African freshwater sediments. The research found highly variable microplastic levels across different water systems, with fibers and fragments being the most common types. Freshwater contamination is a concern for human health because many African communities depend directly on rivers and lakes for drinking water and fish.

2025 Cleaner Water 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Pollution of Water, Sediment, and Selected Fish Species from Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Researchers sampled water, sediment, and multiple fish species from three communities in Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, to characterize microplastic contamination across aquatic compartments. Microplastics were detected in all matrices, with fibers dominating, establishing baseline contamination data for this Niger Delta region where residents rely heavily on local fish for food.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Pollution of Water, Sediment, and Selected Fish Species from Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Researchers sampled water, sediment, and multiple fish species from three communities in Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, to characterize microplastic contamination across aquatic compartments. Microplastics were detected in all matrices, with fibers dominating, establishing baseline contamination data for this Niger Delta region where residents rely heavily on local fish for food.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in fish (O. niloticus and C. gariepinus) in a Nile Canal, Delta of Egypt.

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.

2023 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 3 citations
Article Tier 2

First biomonitoring of microplastic pollution in the Vaal river using Carp fish (Cyprinus carpio) “as a bio-indicator”

Researchers assessed microplastic ingestion by common carp in the Vaal River, South Africa, detecting 682 particles across 26 fish at an average of 26 particles per fish. Fibers dominated (69%) and were mostly colored, with five polymer types identified by Raman spectroscopy, providing the first record of microplastic uptake by freshwater biota in the Vaal River.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and spatial distribution of microplastics in two wild captured economic freshwater fish from north and west rivers of Guangdong province

Microplastics were found in two economically important freshwater fish species sampled across Guangdong Province, China, with fibers being the most common type and polypropylene and polyester the dominant polymers. The widespread contamination of commercial freshwater fish in China indicates a significant pathway for human exposure through fish consumption.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in freshwater wild and farmed fish species of Bangladesh

Researchers evaluated microplastic contamination in freshwater wild and farmed fish species across multiple rivers and farms in Bangladesh, comparing contamination levels between wild-caught and aquaculture-raised fish of the same species.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics prevalence in water, sediment and two economically important species of fish in an urban riverine system in Ghana

Microplastics were detected in water, sediment, and two commercially important fish species from an urban river system in Ghana, with fiber being the dominant type across all matrices. The study represents one of the first assessments of freshwater microplastic contamination in West Africa and highlights urban river systems as major pathways for plastic transport.

2022 PLoS ONE 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics in water and sediment from Megech river, major tributary to Lake Tana

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in the Megech River in Ethiopia, finding an average of 0.55 microplastic particles per liter in surface water and 19.39 particles per kilogram in sediment, with higher concentrations near urban areas. This baseline study highlights how growing plastic use in developing nations is reaching even freshwater systems in East Africa.

2025 South African Journal of Chemical Engineering
Article Tier 2

Characterisation of Ingested Microplastic Particles and Textile Microfibres in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Demersal Fish from a Peri-Urban Open Access Lagoon in Lagos Nigeria

Researchers characterized microplastic particles and textile microfibres in the gastrointestinal tracts of demersal fish from multiple genera caught in a peri-urban lagoon bordering Lagos, Nigeria. They found evidence of microplastic ingestion across multiple fish species, contributing to the limited but growing body of data on microplastic exposure in West African aquatic food webs.

2024 Asian Journal of Biological Sciences
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence in fish species from the Iquitos region in Peru, western Amazonia

Researchers found microplastics in 15 commercial fish species from markets in the Peruvian Amazon, detecting 2,337 particles across 61 specimens — among the first reports of microplastic contamination in fish from the Amazon basin.

2023 Figshare
Article Tier 2

‘The Plastic Nile’: First Evidence of Microplastic Contamination in Fish from the Nile River (Cairo, Egypt)

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.

2020 Toxics 107 citations