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Spatial Patterns, Composition, and Size Characteristics of Riverbank and Floating Macroplastic Debris in the Can Tho River, Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Summary
Researchers studying a river in Vietnam's Mekong Delta found that plastic waste, mostly bags, food packaging, and foam containers, piles up on riverbanks and floats downstream in different size patterns, with smaller plastic bits more likely to keep traveling toward the ocean. This matters because as this trash breaks down, it becomes microplastics that can enter drinking water, seafood, and ultimately our bodies, so understanding how plastic moves through rivers helps communities figure out where to intervene before it reaches the sea.
Macroplastic pollution in rivers is an increasing environmental concern because rivers function simultaneously as active transport pathways and temporary storage compartments for land-based plastic waste. This study investigated the spatial distribution, composition, and size characteristics of riverbank and floating macroplastic debris in the Can Tho River, a tidal tributary of the Hau River in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, to improve understanding of macroplastic transport, selective retention, and environmental partitioning between active transport and temporary storage compartments. Riverbank debris was surveyed at twelve sites spanning urban, peri-urban, and rural sections, while floating debris was quantified using a net-based sampling system. Riverbank accumulations exhibited pronounced local spatial heterogeneity, although litter density and mass density did not differ significantly among river sections. Plastics dominated both environmental compartments, accounting for 53–60% of accumulated debris and more than 95% of floating debris by abundance. Riverbank accumulations were dominated by plastic bags, food packaging, and beverage containers, whereas floating debris was dominated by expanded polystyrene foam products. Significant differences were also observed in material composition, plastic-product composition, and size distribution. Riverbank accumulations contained proportionally larger macroplastics (100–500 mm), whereas floating debris was dominated by smaller macroplastics (50–200 mm), supporting the role of size-dependent transport and selective retention in environmental partitioning. These findings show that floating debris and riverbank accumulations represent complementary components of the riverine plastic continuum, linking active transport and temporary storage through selective environmental partitioning. Integrating floating and riverbank monitoring provides a more comprehensive framework for understanding macroplastic transport and environmental fate while informing management strategies to reduce downstream plastic transport to the Hau River and ultimately estuarine and coastal ecosystems.