Table 3 Comparison of MP concentrations in different regions
From: Microplastics in Namibian river sediments – a first evaluation
Country | Water body | Concen-tration range [MP kg−1] | Dominant polymer type | Dominant size [mm] | Dominant shape | Dominant color | Year | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brazil | Amazon river | 417-8178 | – | 1–3 | fibers | white | 2020 | Gerolin et al. |
Portugal | Antuã Rivera | 100-629 | PE and PP | – | foams and fibers | colored and white | 2018 | Rodrigues et al. |
Germany | Lahn river | 0.36-30.46 | resin and LDPE | 0.3–2 | films and fragments | – | 2021 | Weber et al. |
Tanzania | Themi river | 70-160 | HDPE and PP | – | fibers | – | 2022 | Kundu et al. |
Namibia | perennial rivers Kunene Kavango Oranje | 2-7 | PP and PE | 0.3–1 | fragment | brown | 2019/2021 | this study |
ephemeral rivers | 0-66 | PE and PS | 0.3–1 | fragments | black and transparent | 2021 | this study | |
Iishana system | 0-53 | PE and PP | 0.3–1 | fragments and films | transparent and brown | 2019/2021 | this study |