ScienceMore in Science→
Hydroclimatic Pulses Drive Microplastic Surges in Developing-World Rivers
Key Takeaways
- Science (Vol. 393, Issue 6816, September 2026) publishes a study titled 'Hydroclimatic-driven pulse enrichment amplifies riverine microplastic export in developing countries.'
- The framing recasts riverine microplastic transport as episodic and weather-driven rather than a steady, gradual flow.
- Pulse enrichment combines dry-period accumulation of plastic debris with intense rainfall that mobilises and concentrates it in short high-flow windows.
- Developing countries are highlighted because collection gaps, riparian settlement and monsoon-type rainfall regimes interact to amplify export.
DE
DT Editorial Team··via science.org