Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Additional data for "Settling Velocities of Small Microplastic Fragments and Fibers"

Researchers provided supplementary data for a study on settling velocities of small microplastic fragments and fibers, including single-particle raw data from settling experiments, computed drag coefficients for each measured MP fragment and fiber, and protocols for preparing microfibers for analysis.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Predicted settling velocity of sampled MPFs

This is a dataset of predicted settling velocities for microplastic fibers using a newly proposed model — not a standalone research article.

2023 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Settling velocity of submillimeter microplastic fibers in still water

The settling velocity of 519 submillimeter microplastic fibers (300-600 micrometers long) was measured in still water, finding that settling rates vary considerably by fiber length and orientation, informing models of microplastic fiber transport and deposition in aquatic systems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 15 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

Effects of Particle Properties on the Settling and Rise Velocities of Microplastics in Freshwater under Laboratory Conditions

Physical experiments quantified the settling and rise velocities of ~500 microplastic particles of varying shapes, sizes, and densities under controlled laboratory conditions, finding velocities ranging from 0.39 cm/s (settling polyamide fibers) to 31.4 cm/s (rising expanded polystyrene), with standard sediment transport formulas inadequate for fibers. The study provides empirical data needed to improve models of microplastic transport in rivers and lakes.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 425 citations
Article Tier 2

Particle tracking algorithm and additional data for "Optimized and Validated Settling Velocity Measurement for Small Microplastic Particles (10–400 µm)"

This dataset and code repository accompanies a study on measuring the settling velocity of small microplastic particles (10–400 µm) in water. The materials include image processing routines and particle tracking algorithms designed to improve measurement accuracy for tiny plastic fragments. Accurate settling data helps predict how microplastics distribute in water bodies.

2023 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Correction to “SettlingVelocities of SmallMicroplastic Fragments and Fibers”

This paper provides a published correction to a prior study on settling velocities of small microplastic fragments and fibers, addressing errors in the original data, calculations, or figures to ensure accurate reporting of particle sedimentation behavior relevant to environmental transport modeling.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Optimized and Validated Settling Velocity Measurement for Small Microplastic Particles (10–400 μm)

This study developed and validated a precise laboratory method for measuring how fast small microplastic particles (10–400 µm) sink in water — a key parameter for predicting where microplastics accumulate in aquatic environments. The setup uses a temperature-controlled settling column with optical particle tracking and achieves high accuracy across a range of particle sizes and densities. Accurate settling velocity data for small microplastics is essential for modeling their transport and fate in rivers, lakes, and oceans, which informs risk assessments for aquatic organisms that live at different depths.

2023 ACS ES&T Water 8 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

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

Particle tracking algorithm and additional data for "Optimized and Validated Settling Velocity Measurement for Small Microplastic Particles (10–400 µm)"

Researchers developed and published a particle tracking algorithm and supplementary datasets supporting validated settling velocity measurements for small microplastic particles in the 10-400 µm size range. The repository includes image processing routines, single-particle raw settling data, empirical model results for particle interaction effects, and supporting videos.

2023 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) 3 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

Sediment-Water Interfaces as Traps and Sources of Microplastic Fragments and Microfibers─Insights from Stream Flume Experiments

Researchers used controlled stream flume experiments to study how microplastic fibers and fragments settle into riverbed sediments. They found that lower water flow speeds caused faster deposition, with the effect being strongest for fibers, and that traditional settling equations significantly underestimate how microplastics actually behave near the streambed. The findings improve our understanding of where and how microplastics accumulate in rivers.

2025 ACS ES&T Water 3 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

Settling velocities of microplastics and tire and road wear particles

Researchers developed a high-precision optical imaging method to measure how fast small microplastics (10–400 micrometers) and tire-and-road wear particles sink through water, filling a critical data gap needed to predict where these pollutants accumulate in aquatic environments.

2025
Article Tier 2

Settling and rising velocities of environmentally weathered micro- and macroplastic particles

Researchers measured settling and rising velocities of environmentally weathered micro- and macroplastic particles collected from rivers, finding that existing predictive formulas developed for virgin pellets, fragments, and foams transferred reasonably well to weathered particles but were less accurate for films and larger macroplastics.

2020 Environmental Research 103 citations
Article Tier 2

Controlling factors of microplastic fibre settling through a water column

Using particle tracking velocimetry, researchers measured the settling velocity of 683 polyester microplastic fibers and found that fiber length, curliness, and settling orientation all control descent through water. Curly fibers settled up to 1.75 times slower than straight fibers of equal length, and the low settling velocities (0.1 to 0.55 mm/s) suggest microplastic fibers are prone to biological flocculation and prolonged suspension in the water column.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 56 citations
Article Tier 2

The curious case of microplastic settling velocity within suspended sediment

Researchers investigated the settling velocity of microplastics within suspended sediment in freshwater environments, aiming to better characterize the transport dynamics of these persistent pollutants through the water column. Their analysis highlighted that microplastic settling behavior is complex and context-dependent, complicating predictions of temporal and spatial distribution in rivers.

2025
Article Tier 2

Settling Velocities of Environmentally Weathered Plastic Fibers from the Mekong River in Southeast Asia

Researchers measured the settling velocities of environmentally weathered plastic fibers collected from the Mekong River, finding that weathering significantly alters fiber density and shape, affecting how fibers sink and accumulate in aquatic sediments.

2024 ACS ES&T Water 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards realistic predictions of microplastic fiber transport in aquatic environments: Secondary motions

Researchers developed an improved drag model for predicting microplastic fiber settling in water by incorporating secondary motions including tumbling and oscillation in addition to the standard drag forces. Secondary motions profoundly affect settling trajectories and deposited positions, and the new model outperforms existing approaches that neglect these behaviors.

2022 Water Research 50 citations