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Parameterization of microplastic-sediment aggregation for improved fate modelling

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) 2024 Score: 35 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Noortje Oosterhoff, Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Noortje Oosterhoff, Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Noortje Oosterhoff, Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Noortje Oosterhoff, Kryss Waldschläger Noortje Oosterhoff, Kryss Waldschläger Noortje Oosterhoff, Lieke Melsen, Lieke Melsen, Lieke Melsen, Lieke Melsen, Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Lieke Melsen, Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger Kryss Waldschläger

Summary

Researchers developed parameterisation for microplastic-sediment aggregation (MSA) to improve fate modelling of microplastics in rivers and estuaries, using laboratory experiments to quantify how suspended sediment aggregation with microplastics forms larger, denser flocs with increased settling velocities. The parameterisation was incorporated into numerical transport models to better predict microplastic sinks in aquatic environments.

Study Type Environmental

The presence of microplastics in rivers and estuaries poses several environmental challenges. To effectively address these challenges, it is important to identify and localize microplastic sinks within the aquatic environment. This can be achieved through modeling the fate of microplastics with numerical transport models. Microplastic-sediment aggregation (MSA) is a crucial process that influences the fate of microplastics. When suspended sediment aggregates with microplastics, they form flocks which are larger and denser compared to individual microplastics. This leads to an increased settlement of microplastics in flock form. While microplastic transport models can provide a preliminary understanding of the fate of these anthropogenic particles, none of these models fully incorporates the MSA process. Therefore, this project aims to parameterize MSA and to improve transport models, to ultimately enhance our understanding of MSA's impact on the fate of microplastics. Firstly, lab experiments will be conducted to analyze the effect of different microplastic properties on the aggregation with fine-grained sediment and subsequent settlement of the microplastic-sediment flocs. The results obtained from the experiments will be used to parameterize MSA for different types of microplastics. Afterwards, in-situ measurements in the ports of Rotterdam and Hamburg will be used to calibrate and validate the parameterization further. The expected outcome is a microplastic transport model for the Port of Rotterdam, including the parameterization for MSA. This model will enable port authorities to locate microplastic hotspots under different environmental conditions. Additionally, the parameterization derived for MSA can be implemented in other models, enhancing their ability to identify microplastic accumulation areas. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/558780/document

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