Coastal and Marine Environment Research Group, Department of Marine Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, 340252, Nigeria.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Apr;30(19):55948-55957. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-26410-w. Epub 2023 Mar 13.
Plastic marine debris is a common source of pollution. Recent research has shown that plastic debris has a negative impact on marine organisms and the environment. For the first time, we investigated the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the Nigerian Lagos Lagoon ecosystem water, sediment, and the most important fish species (Hepsetus odoe, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Oreochromis niloticus, and Lachnolaimus maximus). MPs were found in water, sediment, and three carnivorous fish species (H. odoe, C. nigrodigitatus, and L. maximus), except for herbivorous O. niloticus, raising concerns about the health of the Nigerian Lagos Lagoon ecosystem and the human food chain. Across the lagoon, fibres were more concentrated in the water, while fragments predominated in the sediment. Plastic debris from recreational, industrial, and domestic wastes contributed significantly to this contamination. Given the potential dangers of MPs to human health, it is critical to protect the ecosystem and its inhabitants in the Lagoon from plastic pollution. Our findings highlight the need for urgent measures to protect Nigeria's fragile coastal and marine ecosystems.
塑料海洋垃圾是一种常见的污染源。最近的研究表明，塑料垃圾对海洋生物和环境有负面影响。我们首次调查了尼日利亚拉各斯泻湖生态系统的水体、沉积物和最重要的鱼类物种（Hepsetus odoe、Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus、Oreochromis niloticus 和 Lachnolaimus maximus）中存在的微塑料（MPs）。在水体、沉积物和三种肉食性鱼类（H. odoe、C. nigrodigitatus 和 L. maximus）中发现了 MPs，但草食性的 O. niloticus 中没有，这令人担忧尼日利亚拉各斯泻湖生态系统和人类食物链的健康。在泻湖中，纤维更多地集中在水中，而碎片则在沉积物中占主导地位。来自娱乐、工业和家庭废物的塑料碎片对此污染有重大贡献。鉴于 MPs 对人类健康的潜在危险，保护泻湖的生态系统及其居民免受塑料污染至关重要。我们的研究结果强调了需要采取紧急措施来保护尼日利亚脆弱的沿海和海洋生态系统。
