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Papers
20 resultsShowing papers similar to Impact of Type and Shape of Microplastics on the Transport in Column Experiments
ClearBinary transport of PS and PET microplastics in saturated quartz sand: Effect of sand particle size and PET shape
Not all microplastics behave the same way when they enter groundwater or soil — their shape, size, and the plastic type all influence how far they travel. This study tracked how spherical and fragment-shaped microplastics of two polymer types (polystyrene and PET) moved through sand columns, finding that fragment-shaped particles were significantly less mobile than spheres, and that when both types were present together, the spheres helped carry fragments further by forming aggregates. These findings are important for predicting how microplastics contaminate groundwater and for designing remediation strategies.
Fate and transport of fragmented and spherical microplastics in saturated gravel and quartz sand
Researchers studied the fate and transport of fragmented and spherical microplastics through saturated gravel aquifer columns, finding that particle shape strongly influences transport distance, with fragments traveling farther than spheres.
Microplastic polymer type impacts water infiltration and its own transport in soil
Researchers conducted laboratory soil column experiments to examine how microplastic polymer type affects both water infiltration rates and the transport of the plastic particles themselves through soil, testing the two most commonly used agricultural microplastic types under controlled hydrological conditions. The study found that polymer type significantly influenced both water flow dynamics and microplastic mobility in soil, with important implications for predicting plastic fate in agricultural and natural terrestrial ecosystems.
Preliminary investigation on effects of size, polymer type, and surface behaviour on the vertical mobility of microplastics in a porous media
Laboratory sand column experiments investigated how microplastic size, polymer type, and surface chemistry influence retention and transport behavior in subsurface environments. Results showed that smaller particles and those with surface modifications traveled farther, informing predictions of microplastic migration in soils and groundwater.
An insight into laboratory column experiments for microplastic transport in soil
This review synthesizes findings from laboratory column experiments on microplastic transport through soil, examining how particle size, shape, surface chemistry, and soil properties influence how far plastics migrate in the subsurface.
Microplastic polymer type impacts water infiltration and its own transport in soil
Researchers examined how different types of microplastics move through soil and affect water infiltration. They found that polypropylene, being more hydrophobic, impeded water flow more strongly than polyethylene terephthalate, while PET was more mobile in the soil column. The study suggests that a microplastic's surface properties and density play key roles in determining both how it travels through soil and how much it disrupts water movement.
Impact of particle density on the mobility of microplastics in sediments
This study investigates how the density of microplastic particles affects their mobility through soil and potential to reach groundwater, using column experiments with polyethylene particles of different densities. Particle density was found to influence transport behavior, with implications for understanding how microplastics migrate through terrestrial environments.
Infiltration Behavior of Microplastic Particles with Different Densities, Sizes, and Shapes—From Glass Spheres to Natural Sediments
Laboratory column experiments showed that microplastic infiltration depth in sediment increases as particle size decreases and sediment grain size increases, with spherical particles penetrating deepest and fibers infiltrating least. The results help define appropriate sampling depths for environmental microplastic monitoring depending on sediment type.
Microplastics/nanoplastics in porous media: Key factors controlling their transport and retention behaviors
This review examines what controls how microplastics and nanoplastics move through soil and other porous materials like sand and sediment. Factors like particle size, shape, surface charge, water flow speed, and the presence of other pollutants all influence whether plastics stay in place or travel deeper into groundwater. Understanding these transport behaviors is important for assessing the risk of microplastics contaminating underground drinking water sources.
The Effect of Polymer Type and Particle Concentration on Microplastic Transport Mechanisms in Saturated Porous Media
Scientists studied how tiny plastic particles move through soil and groundwater by testing different types of plastics at various concentrations. They found that the amount and type of plastic affects how far these particles travel underground, and that bacteria growing on the plastic surfaces can change how they move through soil. This research helps us better understand how microplastics might contaminate our drinking water sources and food supply.
Effect of particle density on microplastics transport in artificial and natural porous media
Researchers studied how the density of microplastic particles affects their movement through soil and sediment in laboratory column experiments. They found that lighter, less dense microplastics traveled farther and were retained less in the soil compared to denser particles, and that natural sediments captured more microplastics than uniform glass beads. The findings help explain how different types of microplastics spread through groundwater and soil environments at different rates.
Modeling of Microplastics Migration in Soil and Groundwater: Insights into Dispersion and Particle Property Effects
Researchers developed a mathematical model to predict how microplastics move through soil and into groundwater, accounting for particle size, shape, and water flow conditions. The model shows that smaller and rounder microplastics travel farther and deeper into groundwater systems, which is important for predicting contamination risks to drinking water wells.
Transport of micron-sized polyethylene particles in confined aquifer: Effects of size, aging, and confining pressure
Researchers investigated the transport of irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastics through sand-packed columns, finding that smaller particles (22-37 um) were generally more mobile than larger ones (44-74 um), while aging reduced hydrophobicity and affected transport behavior under varying confining pressures. The study highlights that size, weathering state, and pore pressure together control how microplastics migrate through confined aquifer systems.
Behaviour and transport of microplastics under saturated flow conditions in sediments and soils
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.
Investigations on microplastic infiltration within natural riverbed sediments
Researchers used laboratory flume experiments to investigate how sediment grain size affects the infiltration of four types of microplastics (PET spheres, PET ellipsoids, polystyrene fragments, and polyamide fibers) into riverbed sediments. Sediment particle size, microplastic shape, and density were key factors controlling how deeply microplastics penetrate into the hyporheic zone.
Size/shape-dependent migration of microplastics in agricultural soil under simulative and natural rainfall
Researchers found that microplastic migration in agricultural soil under rainfall depends on particle size and shape, with smaller particles moving deeper and rainfall intensity significantly influencing vertical transport patterns in soil profiles.
Exploring the vertical transport of microplastics in subsurface environments: Lab-scale experiments and field evidence
Researchers investigated how microplastics move downward through soil using laboratory column experiments and field sampling of groundwater. They found that heavier rainfall, smaller particle size, and fiber-shaped microplastics all increased vertical transport through unsaturated soil. Field samples confirmed the presence of microplastics in both soil layers and groundwater, suggesting that surface plastic pollution can migrate into underground water supplies.
Effect of shape on the transport and retention of nanoplastics in saturated quartz sand
Researchers compared the transport of spherical versus toroid-shaped nanoplastics through quartz sand columns, finding that irregular toroid particles traveled significantly less far than spheres due to lower energy barriers and greater tendency to accumulate along pore walls — highlighting that particle shape must be considered when predicting nanoplastic fate in soil and groundwater.
Microplastics transport in soils: A critical review
Researchers reviewed how microplastics move through soil, finding that their transport depends on a complex mix of particle properties, soil chemistry, water flow, and biological activity — and that these factors often interact in ways that produce contradictory results across studies. The review maps these knowledge gaps and calls for more controlled experiments to predict where microplastics accumulate and how they might reach groundwater or crops.
Field Lysimeter Experiments for Tracing Microplastics Transport in the Unsaturated Zone
Scientists built outdoor test columns filled with sand and gravel to study how tiny plastic particles move through soil toward groundwater. They used different shapes of plastic pieces (fibers, fragments, and spheres) to trace how these microplastics travel underground under real-world conditions. This research helps us understand how plastic pollution might contaminate drinking water sources, which is important for protecting human health.