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Microplastics Are Rife in Drinking Water of West Africa’s Largest City

Water sampled from boreholes in Lagos was found to have an “abundant” amount of the tiny particles, which have unknown health effects. 

Microplastics have recently been detected in the drinking water of Lagos, Nigeria. 

Microplastics have recently been detected in the drinking water of Lagos, Nigeria. 

Photographer: Damilola Onafuwa/Bloomberg

Microplastics are now widely present in the drinking water of Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria, a newly published study finds. 

The tiny particles and flakes, produced when plastic is disposed of improperly and breaks down, seep into the environment where they can be ingested by animals and humans. Recently, researchers detected microplastics in human blood for the first time.