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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Quantifying Plastic Waste and Microplastic Contamination in African Aquatic Systems: An Imperative for Sustainable Waste Management
ClearMicroplastic pollution in aquatic environments in Africa: status and research opportunities
This review examines the status of microplastic pollution research in African aquatic environments, noting that Africa's high rate of plastic waste mismanagement has resulted in widespread contamination of freshwater and marine ecosystems. Researchers found significant research gaps in the region despite its outsized contribution to global plastic pollution, and identified opportunities for expanded monitoring given microplastics' capacity to adsorb persistent organic pollutants.
Microplastic pollution in African countries’ water systems: a review on findings, applied methods, characteristics, impacts, and managements
This review synthesizes findings on microplastic pollution in water systems across African countries, highlighting methodological approaches, particle characteristics, sources, and impacts, while noting the limited but growing body of African microplastic research.
Microplastics in African ecosystems: Current knowledge, abundance, associated contaminants, techniques, and research needs
This review synthesized current knowledge on microplastic abundance, associated contaminants, and ecological effects in African ecosystems, a region that ranks among the highest in mismanaged plastic waste. Despite the scale of the problem, the review found insufficient environmental monitoring data from Africa, calling for continent-specific research to support accurate global risk assessments.
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.
Microplastic pollution in Africa: an overview of abundance in aquatic organisms, freshwater and marine water environments and analytical methods for reporting
This review provides an overview of microplastic pollution across Africa, covering contamination levels in aquatic organisms, freshwater and marine environments, and the analytical methods used in studies across the continent. Researchers found that microplastic pollution is widespread in African waters, though standardized detection and reporting methods are needed to enable better cross-study comparisons.
Emergence of microplastics in African environmental drinking water sources: A review on sources, analysis and treatment strategies
This review examines microplastic contamination of drinking water sources across Africa, identifying entry pathways linked to uncontrolled plastic imports, poor waste management, and limited water treatment infrastructure. The authors highlight the need for more African-specific research on microplastic fate in water systems and call for improved treatment strategies appropriate for resource-limited settings.
Microplastic assessment approaches for African freshwater biota: a review
This review assessed the state of microplastic research on African freshwater organisms, evaluating the methodological approaches used across published studies and identifying regional gaps. The authors found that African freshwater biota are understudied relative to the continent's high plastic pollution burden, and identified inconsistent sampling and analytical methods as major barriers to cross-study comparisons.
Ensuring sustainability in plastics use in Africa: consumption, waste generation, and projections
This review examines plastic consumption, waste generation, and future projections for African nations, finding rapidly increasing plastic use alongside limited waste management infrastructure. The study calls for African-specific sustainability policies to prevent a major escalation in plastic pollution as economic development accelerates across the continent.
Plastic and Micro/Nanoplastic Pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges, Impacts, and Solutions
This review documents the growing microplastic and nanoplastic pollution problem across sub-Saharan Africa, where rapid plastic use and poor waste management are creating significant contamination in waterways, sediments, and aquatic life. The harsh climate conditions in the region accelerate plastic breakdown into smaller, more dangerous particles. The pollution threatens food production, water quality, and public health in communities that often lack the resources to monitor or address the problem.
Ecological consequences of microplastic pollution in sub-Saharan Africa aquatic ecosystems: An implication to environmental health
This review examines the ecological consequences of microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems across sub-Saharan Africa, where research on the topic remains limited. Researchers summarized evidence that microplastics have been found in water, sediment, and aquatic organisms throughout the region, with potential effects on food chains and human health. The study highlights the urgent need for more comprehensive monitoring and policy responses in African countries.
Macro problems from microplastics: Toward a sustainable policy framework for managing microplastic waste in Africa
Researchers critically reviewed regulatory and policy approaches to managing microplastic pollution across African countries. They found that while environmental monitoring studies demonstrate an urgent need for action, the effectiveness of existing plastic waste policies in Africa remains poorly understood. The study proposes a sustainable policy framework tailored to the unique challenges African nations face in reducing microplastic waste generation and environmental contamination.
A review of the ecotoxicological status of microplastic pollution in African freshwater systems
This review summarizes existing research on microplastic pollution in African rivers and lakes, finding contamination in water, sediments, and fish across the continent. Fibers and fragments were the most common shapes, and the study notes that microplastics can enter body cells and cause genetic mutations, oxidative stress, and nerve damage -- a concern given that Africa's freshwater microplastic monitoring and drinking water research remain limited.
An overview of the prevalence of micro- and nanoplastics in the Southern African development community: a potential risk to environmental and public health
This systematic review examined micro- and nanoplastic pollution across Southern Africa's freshwater systems. Rivers, lakes, and wetlands that communities depend on for drinking water and food production were found to be contaminated. Rapid urbanization and poor waste management are driving the problem, raising concerns about public health in the region.
Microplastic burden in Africa: A review of occurrence, impacts, and sustainability potential of bioplastics
Researchers reviewed the occurrence, impacts, and distribution of microplastic pollution across Africa, where over 70% of daily waste is mismanaged. The review found that microplastics facilitate environmental consequences including metal toxicity in aquatic environments and enter the food chain, while also discussing the potential of bioplastics as a more sustainable alternative.
Consideration of emerging environmental contaminants in africa: Review of occurrence, formation, fate, and toxicity of plastic particles
This review examined the occurrence of micro- and nanoplastics in African environments, covering contamination across aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric matrices. It highlighted that despite Africa's significant contribution to global plastic pollution, monitoring data from the continent remain sparse relative to Europe and North America.
A Review of the Literature on the Environmental and Health Impact of Plastic Waste Pollutants in Sub-Saharan Africa
This review examines the environmental and health impacts of plastic waste in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting how rapid population growth, inadequate waste management, and improper disposal contribute to organic pollutant release affecting both land and marine ecosystems.
Breaking the plastic cycle in Africa: Advancing sustainable solutions for single-use plastic reduction in marine ecosystem beyond current policies
This paper reviews the scale of single-use plastic pollution across Africa and evaluates current policies for reducing plastic waste in marine ecosystems. The analysis calls for stronger and more targeted interventions given Africa's rapidly growing plastic waste output and limited recycling infrastructure.
Microplastics in aquatic ecosystems of Africa: A comprehensive review and meta-analysis
This meta-analysis integrating data from 75 studies found that African aquatic ecosystems are highly contaminated with microplastics compared to global averages, with fibers and fragments being the most prevalent shapes. Sampling methods significantly affect reported abundance, and the environmental risk assessment revealed that polyethylene and polypropylene are the dominant polymer types across African rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Distribution, human and ecological risks of microplastics in the African environment
This review summarizes the current state of microplastic pollution across the African continent, covering water, soil, and air environments. Researchers found that rapid industrialization and urbanization are increasing the rate of microplastic contamination, but significant knowledge gaps remain about the extent and impacts of this pollution in African countries. The study highlights the need for more research on the ecological and health risks of microplastics in the region.
Potential microplastics impacts on African fishing resources
This review assessed how microplastic pollution threatens African fishing resources, highlighting that inadequate waste management in coastal African nations accelerates plastic inputs and that fish species critical for food security show measurable microplastic ingestion, with risks compounded by the co-transport of persistent organic pollutants.
Plastic Pollution in the Environment in Nigeria: A Rapid Systematic Review of the Sources, Distribution, Research Gaps and Policy Needs
This systematic review examines plastic pollution across Nigeria's environment, including water, soil, air, and food. The research finds that plastic contamination is widespread but under-studied in African countries, with significant gaps in data and policy. Understanding plastic pollution in developing nations is critical because these regions often lack the waste management infrastructure to prevent microplastic contamination of food and water.
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.
Microplastics Pollution in Nigerian Aquatic Ecosystems: Sources, Pathways, Impacts, and Mitigation Strategies. A Review
This review synthesized evidence on microplastic contamination across Nigerian aquatic ecosystems, including rivers, lagoons, seafood, and drinking water. The authors describe complex pollution pathways and impacts on organisms across trophic levels, while highlighting the need for Nigeria-specific research and stronger waste management policies.
Microplastics in Inland African Waters: Presence, Sources, and Fate
Researchers reviewed what is known about microplastic pollution in Africa's inland waters, including the massive Great Lakes system and major rivers like the Congo and Nile, and found a striking lack of research data. The limited studies available, including one from Lake Victoria, confirm microplastics are present in fish guts, underscoring the urgent need for expanded monitoring across this understudied region.