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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to The role of floodplain vegetation in filtering microplastics during a major Rhine flood event
ClearFilter effect of Rhine floodplain vegetation on microplastic deposition during a single flood event in Germany
Researchers studied how Rhine floodplain vegetation filtered microplastic deposition during a single flood event in Germany, documenting that plant cover created distinct spatial deposition patterns and acted as a significant physical barrier concentrating particles compared to unvegetated floodplain surfaces.
Filter effect of Rhine floodplain vegetation on microplastic deposition during a single flood event in Germany
Researchers examined the role of floodplain vegetation in controlling microplastic deposition during a single Rhine River flood event in Germany, finding that vegetation cover acts as a physical filter affecting spatial distribution of deposited microplastics beyond the topographic and flood-frequency controls identified in previous studies.
Floodplain vegetation filters microplastics during a major Rhine flood event
Scientists found that plants in flood zones act like filters, trapping tiny plastic particles (microplastics) from river water during floods. Areas with more vegetation caught more of these plastic bits, which means floodplains could be hotspots where microplastics build up over time. This matters because these plastic-contaminated areas could affect the safety of crops grown there and potentially impact the food chain that reaches our dinner tables.
The fate of microplastics in Rhine floodplains: process and patterns of deposition, distribution and vertical migration in the soil
Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution and vertical migration in three Rhine floodplains near Cologne, Germany, examining lateral distribution patterns, whether meadow vegetation filters microplastics during flooding, and vertical depth profiles in floodplain soils. The study found that microplastics deposit during flood events, with both lateral distance from the river and vegetation cover influencing spatial distribution and vertical penetration in floodplain soils.
Macroplastic retention on river floodplains following flood events
Researchers examined macroplastic retention on river floodplains following flood events, quantifying how much plastic debris is deposited beyond river channels during high-flow conditions and assessing remobilization potential. The study provided data supporting the role of floodplains as significant sinks and secondary sources of macroplastics in riverine transport to the sea.
Microplastic retention during a flood event by floodplain vegetation and their infiltration into the Rhine floodplain soil
Scientists found that when rivers flood, tiny plastic particles get trapped by plants and then sink deep into floodplain soil, with the highest concentrations found in the top 15-18 inches of soil. Thicker, more complex vegetation captures more of these microplastics from floodwater, but the plastics don't stay on the surface—smaller pieces move deeper underground through soil cracks and animal burrows. This matters because floodplains near rivers may be accumulating microplastics that could potentially affect soil health and crops grown in these areas.
Macroplastic retention on river floodplains following flood events
Researchers investigated macroplastic retention dynamics on river floodplains following flood events, examining how elevated flows transport and deposit plastic debris beyond the main channel. The study quantified floodplain retention relative to channel retention and assessed how flood magnitude influences remobilization and downstream delivery of plastics toward the sea.
Microplastics in floodplain soils along the rhine river in germany
Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in floodplain soils along the Rhine River in Germany, focusing on this understudied habitat at the interface of terrestrial and freshwater systems to understand how rivers act as vectors for microplastic transport and deposition.
Multi-method analysis of microplastic distribution by flood frequency and local topography in Rhine floodplains
Researchers used multiple analytical methods to examine how flood frequency and local topography influence microplastic distribution in Rhine River floodplains. The study found that floods can mobilize, transport, and redeposit microplastics in floodplain sediments, making these areas both temporary sinks and potential sources of microplastic pollution.
Why analysing microplastics in floodplains matters: application in a sedimentary context
This study examined microplastic distribution and accumulation in floodplain areas of Germany, finding that floodplains trap and concentrate microplastics during flood events and serve as long-term storage sites. Floodplains are an important but underappreciated environmental compartment for microplastic accumulation that can release particles back into rivers during future floods.
Transport dynamics of microplastics within aquatic vegetation featuring realistic plant morphology
Researchers investigated how aquatic vegetation with realistic plant structures affects the transport and trapping of microplastics in river environments. They found that floating plant canopies significantly altered water flow and increased microplastic retention, with smaller nanoscale particles being trapped more effectively than larger ones. The study suggests that aquatic vegetation may act as a natural filter, accumulating microplastics and potentially preventing their transport downstream to oceans.
Data and Code for the publication 'Floodplain vegetation filters microplastics during a major Rhine flood event'
This paper is a research data and code release accompanying a published study on how floodplain vegetation in Cologne, Germany acts as a natural filter for microplastics during major flood events on the Rhine River. The dataset includes meteorological measurements, plant biomass data, and microplastic counts from vegetation deposits after the 2021 flood. The underlying finding — that plants along riverbanks can trap significant quantities of microplastics during floods — has implications for understanding how natural landscapes slow the spread of plastic pollution into aquatic ecosystems.
Data and Code for the publication 'Floodplain vegetation filters microplastics during a major Rhine flood event'
Scientists found that plants along riverbanks act like natural filters, trapping tiny pieces of plastic (called microplastics) from floodwater during a major flood in Germany. This shows that wetland plants help remove plastic pollution from water before it can travel further downstream to drinking water sources or the ocean. Protecting and restoring these natural riverside plant areas could be an important way to reduce the amount of microplastics that end up in our water supply and food chain.
Aquatic plants entrap different size of plastics in indoor flume experiments
Researchers found that aquatic plants effectively entrap plastics in riverine environments, with plant species and plastic particle size influencing retention rates, suggesting vegetation plays an important role in limiting downstream plastic transport.
Preferential deposition of macroplastic on floodplains
When rivers flood, they carry large plastic debris onto floodplains — and researchers studying two major Dutch rivers found that debris piles and riparian vegetation are the primary traps for this plastic waste. Soft, flexible plastics (like bags and textiles) tend to snag in trees and shrubs, while rigid plastics are more likely to settle on the ground. Understanding exactly where and how plastic accumulates during flood events can help authorities target cleanup efforts more effectively and prevent these materials from eventually breaking down into microplastics.
Riparian vegetation as a natural barrier: experimental analysis of plastic particle retention in a vegetated reach
Researchers ran laboratory experiments showing that riverside plants act as natural traps for microplastics, with heavier plastic particles (1.4 g/cm³) being retained at rates up to 93% while lighter, irregularly shaped pieces were captured at twice the rate of disk-shaped ones. Lower water turbulence improved trapping, suggesting that preserving riparian vegetation could help prevent microplastics from reaching the ocean.
Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Vegetation on the Physical Transport and Retention Pattern of Microplastics
Researchers conducted experimental flume studies to investigate how aquatic and riparian vegetation affects the physical transport and retention of microplastics in riverine environments. They found that vegetation significantly increases microplastic retention and alters spatial distribution patterns, suggesting that vegetated riparian zones act as important traps that influence microplastic flux to the ocean.
River plastic during floods: Amplified mobilization, limited river-scale dispersion
Researchers investigated plastic mobilization, transport, and retention dynamics in rivers during flood conditions, finding that high-discharge flood events amplify plastic mobilization from riverbanks and floodplains but that river-scale dispersal of that plastic remains surprisingly limited. They found that most flood-mobilized plastic is re-deposited within the river catchment rather than exported to the ocean, reinforcing the concept that rivers act as both conduits and long-term reservoirs of plastic pollution.
Macroplastic concentrations in the water column of the river Rhine increase with higher discharge
Researchers used trawl nets at multiple depths in the Rhine River to track macroplastic pollution in the water column, finding that plastic concentrations rise sharply during high river discharge (flooding). During low-flow conditions, plastics accumulated near the riverbed, revealing that hydrology plays a key role in where and how much plastic moves through river systems.
Microplastics in floodplain soils along the rhine river in germany
Researchers quantified microplastic pollution in floodplain soils along the Rhine River in Germany, examining how this transitional environment between terrestrial and freshwater systems accumulates plastics transported during flood events. The study addressed a gap in knowledge about floodplain soils compared to more commonly studied agricultural soils.
Flood Characteristics Drive River-Scale Macroplastic Deposition
Researchers analyzed macroplastic deposition along river floodplains during 14 events across two Dutch rivers, comparing flood and non-flood conditions. They found that larger floods deposited two to three times more plastic than non-flood conditions, with deposition patterns varying by flood type: summer floods trapped plastics in inundated vegetation while winter floods deposited plastics in wide, slow-flowing floodplain sections. The study suggests that as flood severity and plastic pollution both increase, floods will play an even more prominent role in distributing plastic pollution.
Flooding frequency and floodplain topography determine abundance of microplastics in an alluvial Rhine soil
Researchers found that flooding frequency and local floodplain topography are key determinants of microplastic abundance in alluvial Rhine soils, with frequently flooded low-lying areas accumulating significantly more microplastics than elevated sites.
Discontinuity in fluvial plastic transport increased by floating vegetation
This study found that floating vegetation in rivers can significantly interrupt the continuous downstream transport of plastic debris by trapping it in vegetated areas. This natural retention mechanism means that plastic transport in rivers is more complex and discontinuous than previously assumed, affecting estimates of how much plastic reaches the ocean.
Green barriers to plastic transport in rivers: an indoor study
Indoor flume experiments demonstrated that riparian vegetation and green infrastructure along riverbanks can trap floating and suspended plastic debris, suggesting that natural and planted green barriers could help reduce plastic transport to the ocean.