“…and can threaten microbial diversity ( Rochelle-Newall et al, 2011 ; Chu et al, 2014 ). The Red River’s name is derived from its reddish-brown waters, indicating a considerable sediment load (1,500 to 7,000 m 3 .s −1 ), rich in iron oxides ( Le et al, 2007 , 2022 ). Due to high organic particulate content, approximately 50% of the metals and metalloids (MM) fluxes drained by the Red River are deposited in sediments ( Le et al, 2022 ; Roberts et al, 2022 ).…”