Flood Characteristics Drive River-Scale Macroplastic Deposition.

ABSTRACT: Plastic pollution is a global environmental challenge that negatively impacts species, ecosystems, and human livelihoods. River basins, with high population densities and poor waste management, are particularly exposed to plastic pollution. Floods amplify the presence of plastic in rivers by mobilizing previously deposited materials and introducing new plastics. Yet, the fate of these mobilized plastics remains unclear, with observations suggesting either downstream export or floodplain deposition. This study assesses flood impact on macroplastic deposition along river floodplains, using data from 14 events─five floods and nine nonflood conditions─across two Dutch rivers. Higher flood return periods increased macroplastic deposition, with the two largest floods depositing two to three time

SUBMITTER: Schreyers LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12444984 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature