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A transport mechanism for deep-sea microplastics: Hydroplaning of clay-laden sediment gravity flows
Summary
Researchers used laboratory flume experiments to show that clay-laden sediment gravity flows can transport microplastics to deep-sea environments via hydroplaning, a mechanism distinct from sand-laden flows and capable of carrying particles much further into the ocean interior.
Microplastics pose a serious threat to marine ecosystems. Their presence in deep-sea sediments has been well-documented. Sediment gravity flows (SGFs) can transport microplastics to the deep sea. The transport mechanisms of microplastics carried by sand-laden SGFs have been investigated experimentally, however, these mechanisms differ from transport processes within clay-laden SGFs due to the differences in flow dynamics. There is a dearth of research on elucidating how clay-laden SGFs transport deep-sea microplastics. By conducting experimental and numerical work, this study elucidates the unique transport mechanisms of microplastics carried by clay-laden SGFs. We demonstrate how microplastics can change the rheological properties of clay-laden SGFs, thereby enhancing their mobility via hydroplaning. The enhanced mobility of microplastic-laden clay-laden SGFs facilitates the transport of microplastics to the deep sea. This study provides new insights into the interplay between microplastics and clay-laden SGFs to enrich the process-based understanding of how microplastics are transported to the deep sea.