ADVERTISEMENT
Saturday, January 28, 2023
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
Involve Africa
  • Home
  • All African News
  • Politics
  • Technology
  • Entertainment News
    • Travel
    • Tourism
    • Arts
  • Finance
    • Food & Agriculture
    • Business & Economy
  • Crypto News
  • Energy & Environment
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • All African News
  • Politics
  • Technology
  • Entertainment News
    • Travel
    • Tourism
    • Arts
  • Finance
    • Food & Agriculture
    • Business & Economy
  • Crypto News
  • Energy & Environment
No Result
View All Result
Involve Africa
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Home Technology

Fish in a major South African river are full of microplastics

Involve Africa by Involve Africa
July 24, 2022
in Technology
0
Fish in a major South African river are full of microplastics
585
SHARES
3.2k
VIEWS
https://web.facebook.com/involveafricanews?_rdc=1&https://twitter.com/involveafricanews


We are living in the plastic age. Plastics are literally everywhere: clothes, furniture, computers, phones and more contain plastic materials. It’s no wonder, then, that the food we eat, the water we drink and even the air we breathe is contaminated with microplastics.

These tiny plastic particles are smaller than 5 mm in diameter. Some, known as secondary microplastics, are formed from the breakdown of larger plastic items. In natural environments like rivers, plastics are exposed to different degradation processes driven by thermal, chemical, microbial and mechanical forces.

Primary microplastics, meanwhile, are manufactured at microscopic size to be used as fibres, films, foams and pellets, among other things. It is estimated that between 0.8 and 2.5 million tonnes of microplastics are released into the global marine system per year.

Once they’re in oceans, lakes, rivers and other bodies of water, microplastics absorb toxic elements and organic contaminants. Their small size and large surface area mean that microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi may also attach and colonise on them. This all makes microplastics a cocktail of contaminants.

Globally, microplastics research is still in its infancy as the scale of the problem has only become apparent in recent years. The knowledge gap is especially high across Africa. That’s worrying: the continent is home to some of the largest and deepest of the world’s lakes and notable rivers, but not much is known about the extent of microplastics in African freshwaters.




Read more:
Plastic pollution in Nigeria is poorly studied but enough is known to urge action


It is also difficult to assess the environmental and public health risks linked to microplastics. That’s because scientists are still learning about how microplastics move through various pathways and where people are most vulnerable to exposure.

In an attempt to bridge this gap, we recently studied common carp fish collected from South Africa’s Vaal River. It’s a major freshwater body of significant economic value that, the country’s Department of Water and Sanitation says, “supports almost 50% of South Africa’s gross domestic product”. The river supplies water for drinking, agriculture and industries and services to around 11 million people in the Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Free State provinces.

You might also like

Egypt, AU sign agreement to establish the headquarters of African Space Agency

Heat stress is rising in southern Africa – climate experts show where and when it’s worst

Binance Charity Announces 1000 African Scholars In Collaboration With Utiva – Cryptopolitan

Our findings were troubling. We took samples from 26 fishes’ digestive tracts and found a total of 682 particles – ranging from seven to 51 particles per fish. That means the river is considerably polluted with microplastics. This isn’t just potentially bad news for people’s health; it also has huge economic implications because the Vaal and similar water bodies are used for agriculture, breeding livestock and recreation.

Toxicity and risk

South Africa has a vibrant plastic manufacturing industry. Recycling, though, is limited. The country is ranked among the top 20 countries with the highest mass of mismanaged plastic waste – and a notable proportion of that enters the aquatic environment.

Many of the microplastics we recovered from our samples were small, coloured (dyed) and fibrous (the particles have a slender and elongated appearance). Those are worrying characteristics because studies have shown that several aquatic organisms are drawn to and consume small, coloured and fibrous microplastics, which resemble natural prey.

Their greater surface area means that smaller microplastics absorb more pollutants from the water that their larger counterparts, resulting in additional health risks. Research has also found that the smaller the microplastics the more likely they are to end up in aquatic organisms’ muscles and livers. That makes them more harmful to the animals. And their fibrous shape means they’re easily embedded in tissue. So they spend longer in an animal’s intestines and become more toxic.

Finally, coloured microplastics are particularly toxic because of the colouring agents used during the plastic manufacturing process.

Awareness and improved policies

Many people are simply not aware of what microplastics are, nor how they might cause harm. During sampling, we met some people who were fishing; others were cooking and eating fish along the banks of the Vaal River while they fished. They were interested to know what we were doing and admitted they’d not heard of this issue before.

People cooking freshly-caught fish on the banks of the Vaal River.
Dalia Saad

This emphasises the importance of social awareness and public education. Public awareness strategies could include a wide range of activities designed to persuade and educate, perhaps beginning with early grade school curricula. It is important to extend the message beyond reuse and recycling to the responsible use and minimisation of waste. People should also be taught about the risks involved in using plastic for water or food storage.




Read more:
Nigeria’s plastic pollution is harming the environment: steps to combat it are overdue


Making people aware of these issues is key to creating public pressure to demand effective waste regulations. This is important because the negative effects of microplastic pollution are not limited to the bio-physical elements of the environment – they have implications for social and economic systems.

Rivers and lakes are used for transport, agriculture, breeding livestock and recreation. The productivity, viability, profitability and safety of these sectors are highly vulnerable to plastic pollution. Microplastics pollution is as much a social concern as it is a scientific one.

The author would like to acknowledge her students who conducted the study with her: Patricia Chauke, Gibbon Ramaremisa, and Michelle Ndlovu.



Source_link

Previous Post

SPORTS: Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh’s 200m final ‘a B minus at best’

Next Post

how the fire service will need to prepare as extreme weather events get worse

Involve Africa

Involve Africa

Related Posts

Egypt, AU sign agreement to establish the headquarters of African Space Agency
Technology

Egypt, AU sign agreement to establish the headquarters of African Space Agency

by Involve Africa
January 28, 2023
Heat stress is rising in southern Africa – climate experts show where and when it’s worst
Technology

Heat stress is rising in southern Africa – climate experts show where and when it’s worst

by Involve Africa
January 28, 2023
Binance Charity Announces 1000 African Scholars In Collaboration With Utiva – Cryptopolitan
Technology

Binance Charity Announces 1000 African Scholars In Collaboration With Utiva – Cryptopolitan

by Involve Africa
January 27, 2023
Artificial intelligence in South Africa comes with special dilemmas – plus the usual risks
Technology

Artificial intelligence in South Africa comes with special dilemmas – plus the usual risks

by Involve Africa
January 27, 2023
Supporting The African Education Community To Achieve Its Goals
Technology

Supporting The African Education Community To Achieve Its Goals

by Involve Africa
January 27, 2023
Next Post
how the fire service will need to prepare as extreme weather events get worse

how the fire service will need to prepare as extreme weather events get worse

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Opportunity Fund Awards $251,000 to 13 Arts and Culture Projects

Opportunity Fund Awards $251,000 to 13 Arts and Culture Projects

October 27, 2022
South Africa sends 25,000 soldiers to stop looting | DW News

South Africa sends 25,000 soldiers to stop looting | DW News

September 20, 2022

Categories

  • All African News
  • Arts
  • Business & Economy
  • Crypto News
  • Energy & Environment
  • Entertainment News
  • Finance
  • Food & Agriculture
  • News Videos
  • Politics
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • Travel

Don't miss it

An important Afro-Atlantic art show falls short at LACMA
Arts

An important Afro-Atlantic art show falls short at LACMA

January 28, 2023
Tinubu receives major boost as court sacks dancing governor
Politics

Tinubu receives major boost as court sacks dancing governor

January 28, 2023
15 Best Things to Do in Mauritius + How to Plan the Perfect Vacation
Travel

15 Best Things to Do in Mauritius + How to Plan the Perfect Vacation

January 28, 2023
Egypt, AU sign agreement to establish the headquarters of African Space Agency
Technology

Egypt, AU sign agreement to establish the headquarters of African Space Agency

January 28, 2023
Genesis Capital’s fall might transform crypto lending — not bury it
Crypto News

Genesis Capital’s fall might transform crypto lending — not bury it

January 28, 2023
6 things poultry producers can do to cut antibiotics further
Food & Agriculture

6 things poultry producers can do to cut antibiotics further

January 28, 2023

Social Bar

Welcome to involve Africa The goal of involve Africa is to give you the absolute best news sources for any topic! Our topics are carefully curated and constantly updated as we know the web moves fast so we try to as well.

Categories

  • All African News
  • Arts
  • Business & Economy
  • Crypto News
  • Energy & Environment
  • Entertainment News
  • Finance
  • Food & Agriculture
  • News Videos
  • Politics
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • Travel

Site Links

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Recent News

An important Afro-Atlantic art show falls short at LACMA

An important Afro-Atlantic art show falls short at LACMA

January 28, 2023
Tinubu receives major boost as court sacks dancing governor

Tinubu receives major boost as court sacks dancing governor

January 28, 2023

INVOLVEAFRICA.COM

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • All African News
  • Politics
  • Technology
  • Entertainment News
    • Travel
    • Tourism
    • Arts
  • Finance
    • Food & Agriculture
    • Business & Economy
  • Crypto News
  • Energy & Environment

INVOLVEAFRICA.COM

What Are Cookies
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT