Microplastics Pollution Assessment in the Surface Water and Sediment of River Niger, Lokoja, Nigeria

Pollution from microplastics (MP) is now considered to be a major global environmental concern, and Nigeria is not an exception. In Nigeria, the River Niger is an essential resource that is used for agriculture, transportation, and fishing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate MPs contamination in Nigeria's Niger River, Lokoja, Kogi State: The sampling was carried out in 2024 between March and June. Following digestion with 10% KOH, density flotation with NaCl, and filtration, the water and sediment were examined. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to identify the MPs, and Openspecy was used to quantify them. One-way ANOVA was used to assess significance in the statistical analysis, which was carried out using SPSS. Fourteen MPs polymers were found. During the four months under study, the most common substances found in water samples were cellulose acetate (CA) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), with mean values of 5.67±1.56 and 3.92±1.16 (MP/10 mL), respectively. The two substances with the highest mean levels in the sediment samples were polystyrene (PS) at 4.58±1.42 (MP/10 g) and CA at 6.34±1.15 (MP/10 g). According to these findings, the aquatic life and communities that depend on the water and sediment surrounding the River Niger in Lokoja for survival are at serious risk, posing long-term threats to the ecosystem.