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Addo S, Boateng CM, Diyie RL, Duodu CP, Ferni AK, Williams EA, Amakye AO, Asamoah O, Danso -Abbeam H, Nyarko E. Occurrence of microplastics in wild oysters ( Crassostrea tulipa) from the Gulf of Guinea and their potential human exposure. Heliyon 2022; 8:e12255. [PMID: 36568671 PMCID: PMC9768316 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The high dependence on plastics in Ghana has resulted in the generation of large quantities of plastic waste which are poorly managed and improperly disposed into the aquatic environments. This study assessed the spatial distribution and abundance of microplastics in mangrove oysters (Crassostrea tulipa): a major fishery resource of commercial importance in Ghana. The results showed that 84.0% of all individuals examined had ingested microplastics. A total of 276 microplastic items were recovered from the 120 individual oysters. Densu (100%) and Volta (93%), two estuaries situated in urban areas, had a greater incidence of microplastics than Whin (77%) and Nakwa (66%), estuaries situated in peri-urban and rural settlements, respectively. The mean microplastic abundance ranged from 1.4 to 3.4 items/individual and 0.34 to 1.7 items/g tissue wet weight. Fiber accounted for 69% of microplastic shapes, followed by fragments (27%) and films (4%). Polymer analysis showed polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) as the most common types in oysters. The estimated microplastic intake per capita per year was one magnitude higher than the mean for other countries. This high rate of human exposure to microplastics requires an eminent policy formulation to guide the use, management and disposal of plastic waste in Ghana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Addo
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 99. Accra, Ghana
| | - Charles Mario Boateng
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 99. Accra, Ghana
- Corresponding author.
| | - Rhoda Lims Diyie
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Water Research Institute (CSIR-WRI), P. O. Box AH 38, Accra, Ghana
| | - Collins Prah Duodu
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 99. Accra, Ghana
| | - Anyan Kofi Ferni
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 99. Accra, Ghana
| | - Ernestina Abbew Williams
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 99. Accra, Ghana
| | - Akosua Ohemaa Amakye
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 99. Accra, Ghana
| | - Obed Asamoah
- University of Development Studies, P. O. Box TL 1350, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Harriet Danso -Abbeam
- Environmental Resources Research Centre, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Post Office Box LG 80, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Elvis Nyarko
- Regional Maritime University, Post Office Box GP 1115, Accra, Ghana
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