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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Field experiment on transport and deposition of plastic bottles along mountain river
ClearThe unknown fate of macroplastic in mountain rivers
Researchers developed a conceptual model of macroplastic transport pathways through mountain rivers to address the unknown fate of plastic items larger than 5 mm in these ecosystems, identifying key physical and hydrological processes that modulate how plastic moves from populated mountain valleys toward downstream environments.
Field experiment confirms high macroplastic trapping efficiency of wood jams in a mountain river channel
Researchers tracked 64 plastic bottles over two months in a mountain river and found that natural wood log jams trapped nearly 72% of them, with regulated (straightened) river sections trapping plastic three times more efficiently per kilometer than natural, winding reaches. The findings suggest that managing wood jams could be a practical, low-cost strategy for capturing plastic waste before it reaches the ocean.
Field experiment confirms high macroplastic trapping efficiency of wood jams in a mountain river channel
Researchers tracked 64 PET bottles over 52-65 days in the Skawa River in the Polish Carpathians to experimentally verify wood jams as macroplastic trapping hotspots, finding that 71.9% of bottles were captured by wood jams and that trapping efficiency was three times higher in a straight regulated reach than in an unregulated sinuous reach.
Experimental method for quantifying macroplastic fragmentation in rivers
Researchers developed an experimental methodology to quantify macroplastic fragmentation during river transport by repeatedly measuring the mass of tagged plastic items before and after transit. A 52-65 day field test of the method yielded the first quantitative measurements of fragmentation rates for 1-litre plastic bottles transported through a river channel.
Macroplastic pollution hotspots across global mountain river catchments
Researchers mapped macroplastic pollution hotspots across global mountain river catchments, identifying densely populated mountain areas as significant sources of plastic that enters high-energy river channels where rapid fragmentation into microplastics can occur. The study emphasised that mountain rivers represent underappreciated pathways for microplastic generation and downstream transport to lowland rivers and ultimately the ocean.
Microplastic Pathways: Investigating Vertical and Horizontal Movement from Riverine Environments to Oceans
Researchers investigated the vertical and horizontal movement of microplastics in riverine systems en route to the ocean, examining how physical MP characteristics and hydrodynamic conditions govern whether particles settle near riverbeds or float at the surface, and how both gravity-driven and flow-driven transport contribute to their ultimate fate.
Study of the influence of fluvial dynamics on the distribution and transport of microplastics.
Researchers studied how fluvial dynamics, including water flow, turbulence, and river morphology, influence microplastic distribution and transport in a river system. The study found that hydrological conditions strongly control where microplastics deposit and how they move through the watershed.
Transport of (Micro)plastic Within a River Cross-Section—Spatio-Temporal Variations and Loads
This study measured the transport of micro- and macroplastics across a river cross-section over time, revealing how spatial position in the river, flow conditions, and seasonal variation influence plastic distribution. The findings inform more accurate monitoring protocols for river plastic load assessment.
Experimental method for quantifying macroplastic fragmentation in rivers
Researchers proposed and tested an experimental methodology for quantifying macroplastic fragmentation during river transport by conducting repeated mass measurements of tagged plastic items before and after riverine transport over 52-65 days. They found measurable mass loss from fragmentation, providing the first direct field quantification of riverine macroplastic fragmentation rates and supporting the hypothesis that river channels are hotspots for plastic breakdown.
The unknown fate of macroplastic in mountain rivers
Researchers proposed that mountain rivers may function as "microplastic factories" because their fast currents, shallow depths, and rocky beds physically break down larger plastic debris into smaller microplastic particles more rapidly than slow-moving lowland rivers. This conceptual model, supported by testable hypotheses, suggests mountain rivers in populated tourist areas are an underappreciated source of microplastic pollution flowing downstream to broader ecosystems.
Study of the influence of fluvial dynamics on the distribution and transport of microplastics.
Researchers studied how fluvial dynamics including flow velocity, turbulence, and river geomorphology influence the distribution and transport of microplastics in river systems. River hydrodynamics were found to be major determinants of where microplastics accumulate and how far they travel, with implications for predicting contamination patterns in river catchments.
The role of water management and its effect on microplastic transport and fate
Researchers examined how water management practices affect the transport and fate of microplastics in river networks, which serve as both conduits and sinks for plastic pollution. The study found that flow regulation and water management interventions significantly influence how far microplastics travel and where they accumulate.
Macroplastic Debris Transfer in Rivers: A Travel Distance Approach
A travel-distance modeling approach was applied to macroplastic debris in rivers, finding that plastic transport is strongly episodic and controlled by flood events, with smaller and more buoyant items traveling farther, and riverine inputs to the ocean likely underestimated by sampling methods that miss high-flow transport pulses.
Journey of pathogen-loaded macroplastics in a gravel-bed mountain river: Hydrological and geomorphological controls in a probabilistic framework
Researchers used field mapping, microbiological analysis, tracer experiments with PET bottles, and probabilistic survival analysis to investigate the composition, pathogen colonisation, and hydrological and geomorphological controls on macroplastic transport and deposition in the Białka mountain gravel-bed river in southern Poland. The study found that macroplastics comprised 86 percent of all river litter and that riverbed morphology and flow conditions strongly influence where pathogen-loaded plastic items are deposited, with implications for understanding plastic fragmentation into microplastics and pathogen dispersal in river systems.
Understanding the spatio-temporal behaviour of riverine plastic transport and its significance for flux determination: insights from direct measurements in the Austrian Danube River
This study analyzed the spatio-temporal behavior of plastic transport in rivers, examining how flow conditions, catchment characteristics, and seasonal variation influence plastic flux and retention within river systems.
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.
Plastic drift : Mapping the course of microplastic transport in turbulent riverine flows.
Researchers conducted laboratory experiments tracking the 3D trajectories of 24 negatively buoyant microplastic particles spanning a range of sizes, shapes, and densities in turbulent open channel flow, generating 720 trajectories to evaluate how well conventional sediment transport models apply to microplastics. Results revealed that the inherent variability in microplastic physical properties challenges direct application of sediment transport concepts to microplastic fate prediction in rivers.
Transport processes of microplastic particles in the fluvial environment : erosion, transport and deposition
This thesis examines how microplastics are eroded, transported, and deposited in river systems, tracing their movement from land sources to the ocean. The research fills an important gap in understanding how rivers act as conduits for microplastic pollution and what processes determine where plastic particles accumulate in freshwater environments.
River plastic transport and storage budget
This study provides the first systematic budget of how plastic moves through rivers and where it gets stored, finding that riverbanks and floodplains trap far more plastic than the surface water layer that is typically monitored. Rivers act not just as pipelines delivering plastic to the ocean but as large reservoirs that accumulate and slowly release plastic over time. Understanding this full storage picture is essential for estimating how much microplastic will eventually reach the ocean and for designing effective river cleanup strategies.
The influence of flow on the amount, retention and loss of plastic pollution in an urban river
Researchers sampled both microplastics and macroplastics at four sites along an urban river in Ontario, Canada during normal flow and storm conditions. The study found that storm events significantly influence plastic transport dynamics, with flow conditions affecting how much plastic pollution is retained in or flushed through urban river systems toward downstream water bodies.
A critical review of environmental factors influencing the transport dynamics of microplastics in riverine systems: implications for ecological studies
This review examines how environmental factors like river flow, channel shape, vegetation, and sediment influence where microplastics accumulate and how they travel through river systems. The authors found that microplastic transport is far more complex than previously assumed, with particles behaving differently based on their size, shape, and density. Understanding these dynamics is essential for predicting where microplastics end up and designing effective cleanup strategies.
Dispersal and transport of microplastic particles under different flow conditions in riverine ecosystem
Researchers developed a particle-tracking model combined with hydrodynamic simulation to study how microplastics travel through river systems under different water flow conditions. They found that flow speed, turbulence, and river channel features significantly influence where microplastics accumulate and how far they travel. The study provides a useful tool for predicting microplastic transport patterns and identifying pollution hotspots in river ecosystems.
The role of biofilm and hydrodynamics on the fate of microplastic particles in rivers: an experimental study
Researchers conducted experimental flume studies to investigate how biofilm formation and hydrodynamic conditions jointly govern microplastic particle fate in rivers, examining why some urbanized and industrialized river reaches show no significant upstream-to-downstream increase in microplastic concentration despite theoretical inputs.
Modeling microplastic dynamics in riverine systems: fate and transport analysis
Researchers developed a computer model to simulate how microplastics travel through river systems, accounting for how they enter from human activities and how they settle, resuspend, and deposit along riverbanks. The model was applied to the Tame River in the UK using four different scenarios based on plastic particle types like fibers, fragments, and pellets. The study provides a tool for predicting where microplastics accumulate in rivers, which could help target cleanup and monitoring efforts.