We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Modelling the fate of sinking microplastics in an urban fjord in western Norway
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers modeled the transport and fate of tire wear particle microplastics entering Byfjorden, an urban fjord in Bergen, Norway, using particle tracking software. The model showed that tire particles from road traffic cross two bridges largely settle on the fjord floor within a few kilometers of their entry points, demonstrating how urban waterways accumulate microplastics from local road traffic.
It is a well established fact that the ocean floor acts as a major sink for microplastics; however, the details of sinking behaviour and fate of these microplastics is quite uncertain. Byfjorden in Bergen, Norway, is a semi enclosed basin in an urban area with typical and relatively well known sources of microplastics such as sewage, traffic and industrial pollution, lending itself well to modelling. In this study, we investigate the transport and dispersion of microplastic debris that come from tires due to road traffic over two bridges in Byfjorden. A Lagrangian particle tracking framework, OpenDrift, has been used to model the uncertainty in events. The particle trajectories are computed based on horizontal velocity fields from a general ocean circulation model and a vertical velocity component given by a sinking rate. The sinking rate is obtained from a modified Stokes law and, hence, depends on the size of the particle. We use Monte Carlo methods to correlate release locations in the vicinity of the bridges with the locality where the particles settle at the seabed; Especially, the horizontal velocity experienced by individual particles depends on release time, e.g., when in the tidal cycle the particle is released. This aim is to discover potential aggregation zones and corresponding gradients along the bottom of the fjord. Results could be relevant in understanding the mechanisms behind particle transport in the fjord and aid in designing sampling campaigns. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/427058/document
More Papers Like This
Hydrodynamic modelling of traffic-related microplastics discharged with stormwater into the Göta River in Sweden
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used hydrodynamic modelling (MIKE 3 FM) to simulate the fate of traffic-related tire wear microplastics discharged with stormwater into the Göta River in Sweden, finding higher MP concentrations on the south bank due to greater traffic loads. Larger, denser particles settled within the river, while smaller particles with densities near 1.0 g per cubic centimeter traveled through to the Kattegat strait and marine environment.
Lagrangian modelling of plastic transport in marine waters.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers applied Lagrangian particle tracking using the OpenDrift framework to study transport of tyre-wear microplastics from two major bridges in a Norwegian fjord and to model broader marine plastic dispersal patterns. The model, incorporating background ocean velocities from the Bergen Ocean Model and Stokes law-derived sinking velocities, tracked individual particle paths from road runoff entry points to seafloor deposition.
Assessment of fine and coarse tyre wear particles along a highway stormwater system and in receiving waters: Occurrence and transport
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tracked tire wear particles through a highway stormwater drainage system in Sweden and found contamination at nearly every sampling point, with concentrations reaching up to 17 milligrams per liter in water. A significant portion of the particles were very small, in the 1.6 to 20 micrometer range, which are harder to filter out and more likely to travel long distances. The study highlights that tire wear is a major and often overlooked source of microplastic pollution reaching waterways.
Characterizing export of land-based microplastics to the estuary - Part I: Application of integrated geospatial microplastic transport models to assess tire and road wear particles in the Seine watershed
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed an integrated geospatial model to track tire and road wear particles from their generation points through the Seine watershed to the estuary. The study found that a substantial portion of these microplastic particles are retained in soils and freshwater sediments during transport, suggesting that land-based microplastic export to coastal waters depends heavily on local hydrology and land use patterns.
Relevance of tyre wear particles to the total content of microplastics transported by runoff in a high-imperviousness and intense vehicle traffic urban area.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized microplastics and tire wear particles (TWPs) transported by urban stormwater runoff in a highly impervious catchment, finding that TWPs made up a substantial fraction of the total microplastic load in sediments of a stormwater detention reservoir. The study underscores the contribution of road traffic to microplastic pollution entering waterways.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.