We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Film entrainment and microplastic particles retention during gas invasion in suspension-filled microchannels
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used microfluidic microchannel experiments to investigate how microplastic particles are retained during gas invasion in suspension-filled channels, providing mechanistic insights into microplastic transport and entrapment behavior relevant to soil contamination and remediation.
Understanding of microplastics transport mechanism is highly important for soil contamination and remediation. The transport behaviors of microplastics in soils are complex and influenced by various factors including soil and particle properties, hydrodynamic conditions, and biota activities. Via a microfluidic experiments we study liquid film entrainment and microplastics transport and retention during two-phase displacement in microchannels with one end connected to the air and the other connected to the liquid with suspended particles. We discover three transport patterns of microplastic particles, ranging from no deposition to particle entrapment and to particle layering within liquid films, depending on the suspension withdrawal rates and the particle volume fraction in the suspension. The general behavior of particle motion is effectively captured by the film thickness evolution which is shown to be dependent on a modified capillary number Ca taking into account the effects of flow velocity, particle volume fraction, and channel shape. We also provide a theoretical prediction of the critical capillary number Ca* for particle entrapment, consistent with the experimental results. In addition, the probability of microplastics being dragged into the trailing liquid film near the gas invading front is found to be proportional to both particle volume fraction and the capillary number. This work elucidates the microplastics transport mechanism during unsaturated flow, and therefore is of theoretical and practical importance to understand the contaminant migration in many natural and engineered systems spanning from groundwater sources to water treatment facilities.
More Papers Like This
Pore-Scale Insightsinto Microplastic Fiber Transportand Retention in Porous Media
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used a microfluidic cell to examine pore-scale transport and retention of polypropylene microfibers in porous media representative of agricultural soil, finding that fiber dimensions and elasticity strongly govern mobility and entrapment behavior. The study provides mechanistic insight into why agricultural soils accumulate microplastic fibers and how trapped fibers influence local flow dynamics.
Biofilm-induced microplastic transport under subcritical shear stress
AI summary
Researchers used microfluidic experiments and fluid-dynamics simulations to show that bacterial biofilms—including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli—can actually promote microplastic bead transport in low-flow conditions by generating a lift force that exceeds the bead's weight, uncovering a previously unrecognized biological mechanism for spreading microplastics through aquatic environments.
Behaviour and transport of microplastics under saturated flow conditions in sediments and soils
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated the behaviour and transport of microplastics under saturated flow conditions in sediments and soils, examining how particle properties influence movement through porous media. The study aimed to improve understanding of subsurface microplastic fate and transport relevant to both soil and groundwater contamination.
Pore-Scale Insightsinto Microplastic Fiber Transportand Retention in Porous Media
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated pore-scale transport and retention of polypropylene microfibers (20-150 micrometers) in a microfluidic porous media cell, demonstrating that fiber size and flexibility are the primary determinants of mobility versus entrapment. The findings reveal how agricultural soils act as sinks for microplastic fibers and how fiber trapping alters flow dynamics at the pore scale.
Retention mechanisms of microplastics in soil environments during saturation-desaturation cycles: Impact of hydrophobicity and pore geometry
AI summary Read the abstract
This study used tiny lab models of soil pores to examine how microplastics get trapped in soil depending on their water-repelling properties and the shape of soil passages. More water-repellent microplastics stuck more firmly to surfaces and were retained at higher rates, up to 50% in some conditions. Understanding how microplastics move through soil is important for predicting whether they will reach groundwater or stay trapped near the surface where they can affect crops.
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.