Microplastic pollution in the surface waters of creeks along the Kenyan coast, Western Indian Ocean (WIO)
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Date
2021-04-02Author
Kerubo, J.O
Muthumbi, A.W.
Onyar, J.M.
et.al
Type
ArticleLanguage
en_USMetadata
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Microplastic pollution has been recognized as a global threat in marine environments and a danger to prey, predators and humans. Yet there have been limited studies in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and along the Kenyan
coast making it difficult to estimate the extent of such pollution. This is the first study on microplastics (MPs) in
the surface waters within creeks (Tudor, Port-Reitz and Mida creeks) in Kenya. Sampling was done in January/
February and September 2018 to collect microplastics from surface water. Neuston nets of 500 µm (large) and 250
µm (medium) size were towed for ten minutes and 50 litres of seawater sieved through a 20 µm net (small) in three
replicates. The samples were digested in 10 % Potassium Hydroxide, sieved, and then filtered with cellulose nitrate
membrane microfilters. Concentrations of total microplastics, different shapes and colours were established under
a microscope. High concentrations of small size (20-250 µm) MPs were encountered and Tudor and Port Reitz had
higher concentrations compared to Mida Creek. The study provides data on microplastic concentrations within the
creeks and recommends focussing on small size microplastics for monitoring purposes, which due to their high
concentrations can be hazardous to organisms.
URI
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/wiojms/article/view/195902http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/154884
Citation
Kerubo, JO · 2021. Microplastic pollution in the surface waters of creeks along the Kenyan coast, Western Indian Ocean (WIO). WIO Journal of Marine Science 19(2), 75-88Publisher
WIOMSA