
Millicent Kwawu
PhD
University of Ghana
Microplastics in Freshwater Ecosystems: The Case of Odaw River Basin, Ghana
Microplastics have become a pollutant of concern because of its ubiquitous nature. It has been recorded in the most remote parts of the earth, in the depths of oceans and on mountaintops with no human inhabitants. Freshwater ecosystems serve as conduits for the transport of microplastics into the ocean or as sinks where it is retained in the sediments. Consequently, organisms found in these freshwater ecosystems are impacted by the presence of microplastics. Aquatic organisms often mistake microplastic for food and inadvertently ingest them, this is then biomagnified through the food chain. Microplastics also serve as reservoirs for microorganisms and have been proven to either absorb other pollutants onto its surface or be a source of introduction of chemicals into the aquatic ecosystem. While microplastics are well-researched in the marine environment, little is known about microplastics in freshwater ecosystems. This study explores microplastics in the Odaw basin in Ghana, one of the major freshwater basins in the city of Accra. The Odaw is however characterized as a drainage system and hence is highly polluted even though it serves as a source of livelihood for those living mid and upstream. This study seeks to investigate the occurrence of microplastics in the Odaw basin as well as assess the interaction of microplastics with other pollutants and microorganisms in this aquatic ecosystem. To inform policy, the behaviour and attitude, risk perception and knowledge of microplastics will be investigated among individuals living along the Odaw basin. This study contributes to achieving the following Sustainable Development Goals, Three (Good Health and Well-being), Six (Clean Water and Sanitation), Eleven (Sustainable Cities and Communities), Twelve (Responsible Consumption and Production), Fourteen (Life below Water) and Fifteen (Life on Land).
















