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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Sign in to save

Wind- and rain-driven macroplastic mobilization and transport on land

Research Square (Research Square) 2023 4 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 35 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Tim van Emmerik Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Thomas Mani, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Thomas Mani, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Yvette Mellink, Tim van Emmerik Yvette Mellink, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Thomas Mani, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Yvette Mellink, Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik Tim van Emmerik

Summary

Researchers conducted laboratory experiments exposing four types of macroplastics on terrains of varying roughness and slope to changing wind speeds and rain intensities to quantify land-based mobilization and transport. They found mobilization probability and transport velocity depend strongly on terrain and material properties, with plastic bags mobilizing at 100% probability at Beaufort 3 while other plastics mobilized at below 50%, and mobilization rates were higher on paved surfaces than grass.

Abstract Wind and rain are considered main drivers of mobilization and transport of macroplastics on land, yet there is a lack of empirical data that quantifies this. We present lab experiment results on land-based macroplastic mobilization and transport. We placed four types of macroplastics on terrains with varying surface roughness and slope angles, and exposed them to changing wind speeds and rain intensities. In general, we find that the mobilization probability and transport velocity of macroplastics strongly depend on the combination of the terrain characteristics and material properties. At Beaufort 3, 100% of the plastic bags were mobilized, whereas the for the other plastic less than 50% as mobilized. We find higher mobilization probabilities on land (grass: factor 1.5; paved: factor 5) than assumed by existing plastic transport models. Macroplastic transport velocities were positively correlated with wind speed, but not with rain intensity. This suggests that macroplastics are not transported on land by rain unless surface runoff develops that can bring the macroplastics afloat. Macroplastic transport velocities were, driven by wind, 1.9 and, driven by rain, 4.9 times faster on paved surfaces than on grass. This study enhances our understanding of land-based macroplastic transport and provides an empirical basis for models.

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