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Thequestionthenbecomes,not ifMPsarepresent,butwhereandhowtosample
them. The marine and estuarine research conducted in South Africa provides a
potential guide via beach combing,water and sediment collection, and biological
sampling. However, such efforts may be difficult in the absence of personnel,
apparatus, and, of course, funding. Thus, the study of Biginagwa et al. [16],
exemplified in Case Study II, in whichMPs were extracted and identified from
suitablebiological indicators that inhabit theurbanizedcatchmentarea isofferedas
a model for research in other areas that can be conducted in a cost- and time-
effectivemanner.
TheconfirmationofMPs isonly thefirst step,albeitnecessaryfor furtherunder-
standing of sources and fate. Mitigating the effects ofMPs requires the coming
togetherofnumerous interestedstakeholders, not least the localpopulations. In the
place where our species first evolved, it now falls on the current generation to
preserveAfrica’s freshwaters for the future.
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120 F.R.Khanet al.
Freshwater Microplastics
Emerging Environmental Contaminants?
- Title
- Freshwater Microplastics
- Subtitle
- Emerging Environmental Contaminants?
- Authors
- Martin Wagner
- Scott Lambert
- Publisher
- Springer Open
- Date
- 2018
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-319-61615-5
- Size
- 15.5 x 24.1 cm
- Pages
- 316
- Categories
- Naturwissenschaften Chemie