Microplastics in Kenya's marine nearshore surface waters: Current status

Charles Mitto Kosore; Loice Ojwang; Justin Maghanga; Joseph Kamau; Daniel Shilla; Gert Everaert; Farhan R Khan; Yvonne Shashoua

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113710

Microplastics in Kenya's marine nearshore surface waters: Current status

Mar Pollut Bull. 2022 Jun:179:113710. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113710. Epub 2022 May 5.

Authors

Charles Mitto Kosore¹, Loice Ojwang², Justin Maghanga², Joseph Kamau³, Daniel Shilla⁴, Gert Everaert⁵, Farhan R Khan⁶, Yvonne Shashoua⁷

Affiliations

¹ Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, P.O. Box 81651-80100, Mombasa, Kenya; Department of Chemistry(,) Pwani University, P.O Box 195-80108, Kilifi County, Kenya. Electronic address: ckosore@gmail.com.
² Department of Chemistry, Taita-Taveta University, P.O. Box 635-80300, Voi, Kenya.
³ Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, P.O. Box 81651-80100, Mombasa, Kenya.
⁴ Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
⁵ Flanders Marine Institute, Ostend, Belgium.
⁶ Norwegian Research Center (NORCE), Nygårdsporten 112, NO-5008 Bergen, Norway.
⁷ Environmental Archaeology and Materials Science, National Museum of Denmark, Denmark.

PMID: 35526380
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113710

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) were collected at six locations along Kenya's marine nearshore surface waters using a 300 μm mesh-size manta net. The samples were washed over a 125-μm mesh size sieve No.120 into a glass jar and preserved in 70% ethanol. MPs were sorted, counted visually under a dissecting microscope then identified using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. A total of 1473 particles with an overall mean concentration of 0.58 ± 1.29 MPs m^-3, were collected. Fragments were the most common types representing 55% of the total MPs, followed by films (40%) and fibers (2%). Polypropylene (PP) was dominant (52%), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) comprised 38% and low density polyethylene (LDPE) 10% of the total MPs. This study provided baseline information, in which Malindi was identified as a hot spot for MPs pollution. Furthermore, the outcomes will assist policy formulations and management strategies aimed at controlling marine plastics.

Keywords: East Africa, nearshore; Microplastics; Polymers; Surface waters.

MeSH terms

Environmental Monitoring
Kenya
Microplastics*
Plastics
Polyethylene
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Microplastics
Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Polyethylene