Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Machine learning-based prediction for settling velocity of microplastics with various shapes

Researchers developed machine learning models to predict the settling velocity of microplastics based on their size, density, and shape. They classified microplastic shapes into fiber, film, and fragment categories and identified the optimal shape parameter for each, achieving significantly better prediction accuracy than existing theoretical models. The study reveals that particle size has the greatest influence on settling velocity, which is important for understanding how microplastics move and distribute in water environments.

2023 Water Research 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Prediction of Settling Velocity of Microplastics by Multiple Machine-Learning Methods

Researchers developed machine learning models to predict the settling velocity of microplastics in water, using particle shape, size, and density as inputs. The models outperformed traditional empirical equations, providing a more accurate tool for modeling microplastic transport and sedimentation.

2024 Water 9 citations
Article Tier 2

A new modeling approach for microplastic drag and settling velocity

Researchers developed a novel machine learning-based modelling framework to predict drag coefficients and settling velocities for microplastics of varying shapes (1D, 2D, 3D, and mixed) in aquatic environments. The framework achieved coefficient of determination values of 0.86-0.95 for drag models, outperforming traditional theoretical and data-fitting approaches in both speed and accuracy.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Towards better predicting the settling velocity of film-shaped microplastics based on experiment and simulation data

Researchers combined experimental and simulation data to better predict how film-shaped microplastics settle through water, since most existing models are based on spherical particles. They found that the particle definition approach was more suitable than equivalent spherical diameter for characterizing flat, irregular microplastics. The improved settling velocity predictions could help scientists better understand how film-shaped microplastics travel and accumulate in aquatic environments.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Settling velocity of microplastic particles having regular and irregular shapes

Researchers measured how quickly microplastic particles of various shapes settle through water, testing 66 different particle types including spheres, cylinders, fibers, and irregular fragments. They found that particle shape significantly affects settling speed, with fibers and flat shapes sinking more slowly than spheres of the same size. The study provides new equations for predicting where microplastics end up in oceans and waterways based on their shape.

2023 Environmental Research 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Dynamic prediction of large spherical and cylindrical microplastic deposition: a machine learning approach for transport and deposition

Researchers developed a machine learning model combined with dimensionless analysis to predict the deposition patterns of spherical and cylindrical microplastics in aquatic environments. The model accounts for varied flow conditions and particle shapes to improve predictions of where microplastics settle in water bodies. The study offers a practical tool for pollution monitoring efforts by helping predict microplastic accumulation hotspots in rivers and oceans.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Improved Settling Velocity for Microplastic Fibers: A New Shape-Dependent Drag Model

A new shape-dependent drag model was developed to improve the accuracy of settling velocity predictions for microplastic fibers, addressing a major limitation of existing drag models that significantly underpredict fiber settling in aquatic environments.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 85 citations
Article Tier 2

A new model for the terminal settling velocity of microplastics

A new empirical model for the terminal settling velocity of microplastics was developed and validated using 1,343 experimental measurements covering a range of particle shapes and materials. The model improves predictions of microplastic sedimentation rates, which are critical for understanding how plastic particles are transported and deposited in water bodies.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Modeling Microplastic Transport in the Marine Environment: Testing Empirical Models of Particle Terminal Sinking Velocity for Irregularly Shaped Particles

Researchers tested multiple drag models for predicting the terminal settling velocity of irregularly shaped microplastic particles in seawater, identifying three high-precision models and demonstrating that settling velocity is largely stable across ocean depths and independent of initial particle velocity, improving the accuracy of marine microplastic transport simulations.

2023 ACS ES&T Water 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and velocity measurement of microplastics based on machine learning

Researchers developed a machine learning framework to simultaneously track multiple microplastics in water and measure their terminal settling velocities, capturing particle interaction dynamics that conventional single-particle tracking methods miss.

2025 Water Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Settling Velocities of Small Microplastic Fragments and Fibers

Researchers precisely measured the settling speeds of over 4,000 small microplastic particles in water and found that existing prediction models designed for larger microplastics do not work well for these tiny fragments and fibers. The settling speed depends on each particle's size, density, and shape, with the smallest particles sinking extremely slowly. Understanding how quickly microplastics settle in water is important because it determines how far they travel and how long they remain available to be consumed by aquatic organisms that humans may eventually eat.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 63 citations
Article Tier 2

A settling velocity formula for irregular shaped microplastic fragments based on new shape factor: Influence of secondary motions

Researchers developed a new shape factor for irregular microplastic fragments and derived a settling velocity formula based on it, using numerical modeling to show that fragment shape governs whether particles sink stably or oscillate — providing more accurate predictions of microplastic transport in rivers and lakes than existing methods.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Modeling the settling and resuspension of microplastics in rivers: Effect of particle properties and flow conditions

Researchers developed a mathematical model to simulate how microplastics of different shapes settle and resuspend in rivers, moving beyond the common assumption that all particles are spherical. They found that turbulence has a complex effect, sometimes keeping particles suspended longer and sometimes accelerating their settling, depending on flow conditions. The model reveals that particle shape significantly influences where microplastics end up in river systems.

2024 Water Research 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Settling velocities of microplastics with different shapes in sediment-water mixtures

Researchers studied how the shape of microplastic particles affects how quickly they sink in water containing suspended sediment. They found that fibers and films settle much more slowly than fragments and pellets, and that sediment in the water significantly slows the settling of all microplastic types. These findings are important for predicting where microplastics accumulate in lakes, rivers, and oceans.

2025 Environmental Pollution 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying the influence of size, shape, and density of microplastics on their transport modes: A modeling approach

Researchers developed a computer model that predicts how microplastics of different sizes, shapes, and densities move through ocean water. The model accurately simulates whether particles float on the surface, stay suspended in the water column, or settle to the bottom. Understanding how microplastics travel through marine environments is important for predicting where contamination accumulates and which seafood sources are most likely to be affected.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Predicting the toxicity of microplastic particles through machine learning models

Researchers developed machine learning models to predict microplastic particle toxicity from physical and chemical descriptors, addressing the classification challenge posed by the enormous diversity of particle types that cannot be characterized using conventional chemical hazard methods. The models provided accurate toxicity predictions across diverse microplastic types, offering a practical screening tool for the field.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Settling velocity of microplastic particles of regular shapes

This study measured the sinking velocities of spherical, cylindrical, and filament-shaped microplastic particles ranging from 0.5 to 5 mm, finding that shape strongly determines how quickly particles settle through the water column. Understanding settling behavior is essential for modeling how microplastics are transported and deposited in marine environments.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 457 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Shape and Size on Microplastic Atmospheric Settling Velocity

Researchers measured atmospheric settling and horizontal drift velocities of various microplastic shapes and sizes in controlled settling chambers, providing empirical data needed to improve atmospheric transport models that explain how microplastics reach remote environments.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Sinking velocity of sub-millimeter microplastic

Researchers measured the sinking velocities of irregularly shaped microplastic particles (polyamide, PMMA, and PET, 6–251 μm) and found they sink considerably slower than theoretical predictions for spheres of equivalent size, developing a predictive model based on particle size and excess density to better represent how real-world microplastics settle through the water column.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Coupled CFD-DEM modelling to assess settlement velocity and drag coefficient of microplastics

Researchers used computational fluid dynamics coupled with particle simulations to model how the size, shape, and density of microplastics affect their settling velocity and drag in water. Accurate physical models of microplastic behavior are essential for predicting where particles accumulate in rivers, lakes, and the ocean.

2020 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Predicting the toxicity of microplastic particles through machine learning models

Researchers applied machine learning models to predict the toxicity of microplastic particles from their physical and chemical properties, addressing the challenge that microplastics lack the standardized identifiers used for chemical hazard classification. The models successfully predicted toxicity outcomes from particle descriptors, offering a framework for hazard screening of the diverse and complex microplastic contaminant class.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Settling model to predict microplastics removal efficiency in wastewater treatments

A mathematical settling model was built to predict how efficiently wastewater treatment plants remove microplastics based on particle density, size, shape, and surface loading rates. The model shows that dense, large, spherical particles settle most readily, while light fibers and films are far harder to remove — providing treatment plant operators and engineers with a practical tool for optimizing processes to reduce the discharge of microplastics into rivers and coastal waters.

2024 Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Empirical Shape-Based Estimation of Settling Microplastic Particles Drag Coefficient

This study experimentally measured the settling behavior of flat square microplastic particles in water, finding that shape significantly affects sinking speed and drag compared to spherical particles. Understanding how microplastic shapes influence settling is essential for modeling where plastics accumulate in rivers and ocean sediments.

2023 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Settling velocity of irregularly shaped microplastics under steady and dynamic flow conditions

The settling velocities of irregularly shaped microplastics were measured under both still water and dynamic flow conditions, finding that shape strongly affected settling speed and that turbulence caused non-spherical particles to orient and settle differently than spheres, with implications for predicting microplastic vertical transport in rivers and coastal waters.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 92 citations