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Unveiling the Vertical Migration of Microplastics with Suspended Particulate Matter in the Estuarine Environment: Roles of Salinity, Particle Properties, and Hydrodynamics

Environmental Science & Technology 2024 34 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Xiaohan Yang, Xiaohan Yang, Feng Qi, Xiaohan Yang, Guohe Huang, Xiaohan Yang, Guohe Huang, Feng Qi, Feng Qi, Feng Qi, Feng Qi, Feng Qi, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Guohe Huang, Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Guohe Huang, Feng Qi, Guohe Huang, Feng Qi, Chunjiang An Guohe Huang, Chunjiang An Feng Qi, Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Linxiang Lyu, Linxiang Lyu, Feng Qi, Feng Qi, Xiaohan Yang, Xiaohan Yang, Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Feng Qi, Huifang Bi, Xiaohan Yang, Chunjiang An Chunjiang An Guohe Huang, Chunjiang An Xiaohan Yang, Siyuan Zhou, Chunjiang An Linxiang Lyu, Feng Qi, Xiaohan Yang, Chunjiang An Huifang Bi, Xiaohan Yang, Linxiang Lyu, Linxiang Lyu, Linxiang Lyu, Feng Qi, Huifang Bi, Siyuan Zhou, Chunjiang An

Summary

Researchers studied how suspended particles like clay and sand affect the vertical movement of microplastics in estuarine environments with varying salinity levels. They found that fine clay particles were particularly effective at dragging buoyant microplastics downward through a process of attachment and aggregation. The study reveals that the interplay between sediment type, salinity, and water turbulence plays a major role in determining where microplastics end up in estuaries.

Polymers

PE PTFE

Study Type Environmental

The estuary is an energetic area connecting the inland, river, and ocean. The migration of microplastics (MPs) in this highly complex area is tied to the entire ecosystem. In this study, the effects of cohesive SPM (clay) and noncohesive SPM (sand) on the vertical migration of positively buoyant MPs, polyethylene (PE), and negatively buoyant MPs, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), in the estuarine environment under hydrodynamic disturbances were investigated. The settling of positively buoyant MPs was more reliant on the cohesive SPM compared to the settling of negatively buoyant MPs. Moreover, MPs interacting with the SPM mixture at a clay-to-sand ratio of 1:9 settled more efficiently than those interacting with clay alone. A significant positive correlation was observed between MP settling percentage and the salinity level. MP settling percentage was significantly negatively correlated with fluid shear stress for both types of MPs, meanwhile, negatively buoyant MPs were able to resist greater hydraulic disturbances. In the low-energy mixing state, for both types of MPs, the settling percentage reached about 50% in only 10 min. The resuspension process of MPs under hydrodynamic disturbances was also uncovered. Additionally, the migration and potential sites of MPs were described in the context of prevalent environmental phenomena in estuaries.

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