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Integrated effects of polymer type, size and shape on the sinking dynamics of biofouled microplastics
Water Research2022
82 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Dehua Luo,
Siguang Liu,
Dehua Luo,
Xiao Wang,
Siguang Liu,
Dehua Luo,
Dehua Luo,
Dehua Luo,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Xiaoliang Ji,
Dehua Luo,
Xiaoliang Ji,
Dehua Luo,
Xu Shang
Dehua Luo,
Zheng Chen,
Yifeng Huang,
Xu Shang
Zhenfeng Wang,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Xiaoliang Ji,
Siguang Liu,
Siguang Liu,
Siguang Liu,
Siguang Liu,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Zheng Chen,
Zheng Chen,
Xiao Wang,
Xiao Wang,
Xiao Wang,
Xiao Wang,
Dehua Luo,
Dehua Luo,
Dehua Luo,
Dehua Luo,
Xiaoliang Ji,
Zheng Chen,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Xiao Wang,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Xiao Wang,
Xiaoliang Ji,
Zheng Chen,
Xiao Wang,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Zheng Chen,
Xiaoliang Ji,
Xiaoliang Ji,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Xiaoliang Ji,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Zheng Chen,
Zheng Chen,
Zheng Chen,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Zhenfeng Wang,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Minghua Zhang,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Zheng Chen,
Minghua Zhang,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Zheng Chen,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Minghua Zhang,
Xu Shang
Xu Shang
Minghua Zhang,
Zheng Chen,
Siguang Liu,
Siguang Liu,
Siguang Liu,
Minghua Zhang,
Minghua Zhang,
Xu Shang
Siguang Liu,
Xu Shang
Minghua Zhang,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Xu Shang
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Xu Shang
Minghua Zhang,
Minghua Zhang,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Randy A. Dahlgren,
Xu Shang
Xu Shang
Xu Shang
Xu Shang
Summary
Researchers investigated how polymer type, size, and shape interact with biofouling to influence microplastic sinking dynamics, finding that biofilm growth altered buoyancy and settling rates in ways that depend on the physical characteristics of each particle.
Sinking of microplastics (MPs) after biofouling is considered an important mechanisms responsible for the downward transport/sedimentation of MPs in the ocean and freshwaters. Previous studies demonstrated MP sinking caused by an increase in the composite density of MPs after biofouling, while MPs with smaller size or shapes with higher surface area to volume ratios (SA:V), such as films, are speculated to sink faster. In this study, we designed an in situ microcosm to simulate the ambient environmental conditions experienced by floating MPs to elucidate the biofouling and sinking of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and expanded-polystyrene (EPS) MPs of various sizes and shapes. Our results showed smaller PE and PP MP granules sank faster than large ones. Even EPS granules of 100 μm diameter, having a much lower density (0.02 mg/mm) than water, started to sink after 2 weeks of biofouling. Moreover, PE film and fiber MPs with higher SA:V did not sink faster than PE MP granules of the same mass, implying that mechanisms other than SA:V, such as fouling contact area and drag coefficient, play a role in the regulation of biofouling and sinking of MPs.