Supplementary material to "Estimating microplastics emissions from offshore wind turbine blades in the Dutch North Sea"

Estimating microplastic emissions from offshore wind turbine blades in the Dutch North Sea

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Researchers modeled microplastic emissions from leading-edge erosion of offshore wind turbine blades in the Dutch North Sea, estimating that a single turbine releases hundreds of kilograms of fiber-reinforced polymer particles annually, raising concerns about marine plastic pollution from renewable energy infrastructure.

Estimating microplastics emissions from offshore wind turbine blades in the Dutch North Sea

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Researchers estimated microplastic emissions from offshore wind turbine blade erosion in the Dutch North Sea using a fatigue-based erosion model integrated with measured weather data, finding that a modern turbine with polyurethane leading edge protection releases approximately 240 grams of microplastics per year, roughly 1,000 times less than total offshore microplastic emissions in the Netherlands from other sources.

New characterization factors for microplastic emissions of 9 polymers in the aquatic environment

Identifying influencing physical and environmental parameters on fate and characterization factors for microplastic emissions in the marine environment

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Researchers used the TrackMPD simulation framework to quantify how physical parameters—particularly particle size, density, and shape—alongside oceanic properties influence the fate and characterization factors of microplastics in the marine environment for life cycle assessment. Understanding these fate dynamics is essential for accurately modeling how long microplastics persist in ocean compartments and for designing interventions to reduce marine biological exposure.

Environmental impact of microplastic shedding from offshore wind turbine coatings

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Researchers investigated the environmental impact of microplastic shedding from protective coatings applied to offshore wind turbine structures, as the expansion of offshore wind energy raises concerns about plastic pollution from installation and operation. Different coating types were shown to vary in their microplastic shedding potential under marine conditions.