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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Dispersion properties of nanoplastic spheres in granular media at low Reynolds numbers
ClearEffects of clay minerals on the transport of nanoplastics through water-saturated porous media
Column experiments with clay-containing saturated porous media showed that clay minerals reduced nanoplastic transport by enhancing particle retention through bridging flocculation and charge neutralization, with kaolinite having greater retention effects than montmorillonite, informing predictions of nanoplastic mobility in clay-rich soils.
Effect of deposition, detachment and aggregation processes on nanoparticle transport in porous media using Monte Carlo simulations
Researchers developed a 3D computational model to study how engineered nanoparticles move through porous soil and sediment, accounting for deposition, detachment, and aggregation. Similar models can be applied to understand how nanoplastics and small microplastics move through groundwater systems.
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.
SiO2 and microparticle transport in a saturated porous medium: effects of particle size and flow rate
Column experiments tracking the movement of polystyrene microplastic particles and silica particles through saturated gravel showed that larger particles are retained more strongly, but higher water flow rates push both types deeper into the porous medium. At the same flow rate, 10-micrometer polystyrene particles were retained 46% more effectively than 2-micrometer particles, illustrating how particle size and water velocity interact to control microplastic transport through subsurface environments. Understanding these dynamics is important for predicting how microplastics reach groundwater and spread through aquifer systems.
Vertical transport of polystyrene nanoplastics in natural soils under unsaturated conditions: influence of particle size and texture
Laboratory experiments showed that polystyrene nanoplastics can travel downward through unsaturated soils, but larger particles and clay-rich soils retain them more effectively than smaller particles in sandy soils. Understanding how nanoplastics move through soil is important for predicting whether they will reach groundwater and contaminate drinking water sources.
Micro- and nanoplastics retention in porous media exhibits different dependence on grain surface roughness and clay coating with particle size
Researchers found that grain surface roughness and clay coatings affect the retention of microplastics and nanoplastics in porous media differently depending on particle size, with nanoplastics behaving oppositely to microplastics in certain soil conditions — complicating predictions of plastic transport in groundwater systems.
Current understanding of subsurface transport of micro‐ and nanoplastics in soil
This review summarizes current knowledge about how micro- and nanoplastics are transported through soil subsurface environments. Researchers discuss the fundamental mechanisms governing plastic particle movement in soils, including size-dependent filtration, preferential flow through macropores, and interactions with soil colloids. The study highlights significant gaps in understanding how plastics migrate through different soil types and may eventually reach groundwater.
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.
Particulate flow in porous media: experimental study and numerical modelling of microplastic transport in geomaterials
This study combined laboratory experiments and numerical modeling to examine how microplastic particles migrate through porous geomaterials, finding that transport behavior is similar to fine soil particles moving through hydrogeological environments. The results have implications for predicting microplastic contamination of groundwater.
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.
Effect of particle size on the transport of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastic particles through quartz sand under unsaturated conditions
This study tested how different sizes of polystyrene micro and nanoplastics move through sand under conditions similar to soil with some moisture. Smaller particles (120 nanometers) passed through easily with 95% recovery, while larger particles (10,000 nanometers) were completely trapped. The findings suggest that the tiniest nanoplastics can readily travel through soil to reach groundwater, creating a potential pathway for plastic contamination of drinking water sources.
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.
Shape Heterogeneity Facilitates the Transport of Certain Sized Nanoplastics and Eliminates Their Inhibition Effect on the Transport of Coexisting Other Sized Nanoplastics in Porous Media
This study examined how nanoplastics of different sizes (50, 200, and 500 nm) move and bind together when passing through soil and sediment, finding that irregular particle shapes increase surface roughness and promote adsorption while also blocking other particle sizes from moving through pores. Understanding how nanoplastics travel through soil is essential for predicting how deeply they can penetrate into groundwater and ecosystems.
Effects of input concentration, media particle size, and flow rate on fate of polystyrene nanoplastics in saturated porous media
Researchers systematically tested how input concentration, sand grain size, and flow rate control nanoplastic transport through saturated porous media, finding that nanoplastics are highly mobile under most conditions and — crucially — fragment into smaller sub-100 nm particles during long-term release, potentially increasing their environmental persistence and bioavailability.
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.
Transport of Microplastics Through Porous Media: Influence of Porosity and Pore-Water Velocity
Researchers investigated microplastic transport through porous media under varying porosity and pore-water velocity conditions relevant to groundwater systems. Higher pore-water velocities increased microplastic transport distance, while lower porosity soils retained more particles near the surface, providing experimental data to improve models predicting microplastic migration toward drinking water aquifers.
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.
One-Dimensional Experimental Investigation of Polyethylene Microplastic Transport in a Homogeneous Saturated Medium
Researchers conducted one-dimensional column experiments to characterize the transport of polyethylene microplastics through saturated homogeneous granular media, using fluorescent tracers and inverse modeling to calculate hydrodynamic transport parameters and identify media characteristics that influence microplastic mobility in groundwater.
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.
Experimental Confirmation of the Interception History Paradigm for Colloid (Micro and Nanoparticle) Transport in Porous Media
Laboratory experiments confirmed the interception history paradigm for colloid filtration under chemically unfavorable conditions, demonstrating that microplastics and other colloidal particles follow predictable deposition patterns in porous media—providing mechanistic data relevant to modeling MP transport through soils and aquifers.
Binary 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.
Retention and transport behavior of microplastic particles in water-saturated porous media
Researchers investigated microplastic transport in water-saturated porous media using polystyrene microspheres, finding that particle size primarily determined retention behavior, with 50 nm particles showing high mobility while 500 nm particles exhibited greater attachment and slower migration.
Modeling microplastic transport through porous media: challenges arising from dynamic transport behavior
This perspective article reviews microplastic transport through porous media such as soils and aquifers, identifying the limitations of existing hydrogeological models and proposing research directions for more effectively modelling the dynamic, particle-specific transport behaviour of microplastics in porous environments.
Enhanced mobility and dynamic retention of nanoplastics in mineral coated porous media.
Scientists studied how tiny plastic particles move through different types of soil and sand that might be found in groundwater systems. They discovered that these nanoplastics travel much farther and faster through soil than previously thought, especially when water flows quickly. This matters because it suggests that plastic pollution from things like food packaging and cosmetics could spread more widely through our drinking water sources than we realized.