Abstract
Whereas the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) has been reported to be polluted with microplastics (MPs). Documented information on the specific polymeric composition of these particles in seawater and sediments along the Kenya coast is insufficient. This study assessed the abundance and types of microplastic polymers in the region. Microplastics were sampled from surface water using 500µm neuston nets and from the sediments using a 3.6 cm-diameter corer. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) were used to identify the MPs polymer types. Four polymer types were identified of which, high-density polyethene was the most abundant at 38.3%, followed by polypropylene (34.6%), low-density polyethene (27.1 %), and medium density polyethene (17.1%). The results demonstrate the extent of exposure to microplastics of the region’s ecosystems and provide the impetus for proper policy briefs regarding the management and disposal of plastic waste, protect and save oceans rich in biodiversity for sustainable development.
Highlights
Production of plastic products over the past seventy years has increased rapidly, exceeding 380 million tons in 2016 (Plastics Europe, 2017)
The results from the study provide evidence that the marine environment along the Kenya coast is polluted with microplastics
The analysis showed that physiographic factors did not influence the distribution of microplastics
Summary
Production of plastic products over the past seventy years has increased rapidly, exceeding 380 million tons in 2016 (Plastics Europe, 2017). This figure is expected to increase threefold by 2060 (Lebreton and Andrady, 2019) because of the exponentially increasing demand for plastic products. Plastics are suited in many applications because they are lightweight, versatile, solid and durable, potentially transparent, bio-inert, excellent moisture barrier, and low cost. These attributes make plastics excellent packaging material replacing glass, metal, and paper as packaging materials. Secondary microplastics are usually more than primary microplastics such as microbeads in toothpaste and fibres from fishing nets (Rodriguez et al, 2020)
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