Microplastics and associated organic pollutants in beach sediments from the Gulf of Guinea (SE Atlantic) coastal ecosystems.

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants of global concern due to their pervasiveness, sorptive capacity for organic and inorganic pollutants, and direct and indirect toxicity to organisms and ecosystems. This study aimed to assess the concentration and the statistical difference in the concentration of microplastic-sorbed organic pollutants from two ecosystems, the marine and estuarine lagoon. Surface sediment from the estuarine lagoon and marine ecosystems were sampled for microplastics (1-5 mm).

Occurrence and distribution of micro(meso)plastic-sorbed heavy metals and metalloids in sediments, Gulf of Guinea coast (SE Atlantic).

The pervasive existence of microplastics (MPs) and toxic metals is raising environmental and health concerns. Plastics are essentially a complex mixture of chemicals, but exposure to the aquatic environment increases their complexity through contaminant desorption/sorption. The aim of this study was to establish baseline data on the elemental occurrence and distribution of potentially toxic and geochemical metals/metalloids in microplastics 1-5 mm and mesoplastics (> 5 mm - 1 cm) along designated coastlines of the Gulf of Guinea (Nigeria) in addition to enabling more comprehensive ecotoxicological risk assessment.