Assessment of river Namatala water for microplastic contamination
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Date
2026
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Busitema university
Abstract
Microplastic contamination in freshwater systems is an emerging environmental concern, yet many rivers in resource limited settings remain uncharacterized. This study assessed the presence, distribution, and polymer composition of microplastics in River Namatala, comparing an upstream site with low population density and a downstream site with high population density. Surface water samples (top 10 cm) were collected from both locations, digested with 30% hydrogen peroxide, subjected to density separation using saturated zinc chloride, and vacuum-filtered. Retrieved particles were analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT‑IR) spectroscopy. Results confirmed microplastic pollution at both sites, with polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) identified as the dominant polymer types evidenced by characteristic absorption peaks at 2915 cm-1, 2846 cm-1, 1461 cm⁻¹, 1375 cm-1, and 998 cm-1. The downstream site consistently showed lower percent transmittance (e.g., 80.38% at 2915 cm-1) compared to the upstream site (88.75% at the same wavenumber), indicating a higher microplastic concentration in the more populated area. These findings demonstrate that anthropogenic activities, including urban runoff and improper plastic waste disposal, are primary drivers of microplastic pollution in River Namatala. This study provides critical baseline data for environmental management and highlights potential ingestion risks for aquatic organisms and local communities that rely on the river for domestic purposes.
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Mafabi, A. (2026). Assessment of River Namatala water for microplastic contamination [Undergraduate research report]. Busitema University.