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Modeling the microplastic distribution along the Delaware River Estuary: Accumulation patterns and hydrodynamic influences
Summary
This study used computer modeling to predict how different types of microplastics accumulate along the Delaware River Estuary. Researchers found that lightweight plastics tend to collect in the upper estuary near Trenton, NJ, while heavier fibers and films accumulate downstream near the salinity front below Philadelphia. The accumulation patterns shift seasonally with river flow, providing valuable information for targeting cleanup and monitoring efforts in polluted waterways.
Microplastic pollution is an escalating environmental concern, particularly in densely populated estuary regions, where it poses significant threats to aquatic life and human health. The dispersion patterns of microplastic particles along estuaries are influenced and complicated by multiple environmental factors such as river flow, tidal mixing, salt intrusion, and estuarine circulation. This study examines the accumulation and dispersion patterns by modeling three typical classes of microplastics in the Delaware River Estuary: synthetic fibers, sinking plastic films, and rising plastic pellets. Our findings reveal specific areas with high microplastic accumulation for each type. Notably, the upper estuary regions exhibit significant retention of rising microplastics, associated with a region with reduced along-thalweg velocities downstream of Trenton, NJ and upstream of Philadelphia, PA. Conversely, synthetic fibers and sinking plastic films accumulate in the flow convergence zone near the bottom salinity front, typically downstream of Philadelphia. All of the microplastic accumulation hot spot locations are controlled by the balance of river discharge and salinity intrusions. During the dry season, microplastic accumulation hot spots shift upstream in the estuary, whereas in the wet season, the strong river discharge pushes them downstream. On the other hand, tidal mixing, settling, and resuspension processes strongly impact the spreading of microplastics along the river.