Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Modeling drift and fate of microplastics in the Baltic Sea

Researchers developed a hydrodynamic model to track the drift and accumulation of microplastics in the Baltic Sea, linking coastal emission sources to offshore accumulation zones and identifying key oceanographic processes that govern the fate of land-derived plastic pollution.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Model estimates of microplastic potential contamination pattern of the eastern Gulf of Finland in 2018

This numerical modeling study simulated the transport and distribution of microplastics entering the Gulf of Finland from the Neva, Luga, and Narva rivers, finding that most particles move along the northern coast under typical conditions. The model helps predict where microplastics from urban river sources accumulate in this enclosed semi-inland sea.

2021 Oceanologia 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Modeling the pathways of microplastics in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea – sensitivity of parametrizations

Researchers developed an open-source Lagrangian particle tracking model to simulate microplastic transport in the Gulf of Finland, incorporating processes like diffusion, beaching, resuspension, and biofouling. Sensitivity analysis showed that beaching and biofouling were the major factors removing particles from the water column, while stronger diffusion enhanced microplastic export from the gulf. The study provides a foundation for improving microplastic transport simulations in coastal environments.

2024 Ocean Dynamics 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Mapping microplastic pathways and accumulation zones in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea – insights from modeling

A hydrodynamic-particle tracking model of the Gulf of Finland found that rivers contribute 76% of microplastic inputs while wastewater treatment plants account for 24%, with most plastics accumulating within the gulf rather than drifting to the broader Baltic Sea.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Model uncertainties of a storm and their influence on microplastics / sediment transport in the Baltic Sea

Researchers used ocean circulation modeling to simulate how microplastics and sediment are transported in the Baltic Sea during storm events, identifying uncertainty in the models as a key challenge. Despite this, the approach helps predict where microplastics accumulate on the seafloor, which is otherwise expensive to measure directly.

2020 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport and Behavior of Microplastics Emissions From Urban Sources in the Baltic Sea

Researchers compiled microplastic emission data for urban sources in the Baltic Sea region and modelled transport and deposition of polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET particles using 3D simulations. The study found that combined sewer overflow systems and untreated wastewater are major pathways for microplastics, with particle density strongly influencing transport trajectories and depositional patterns.

2020 Frontiers in Environmental Science 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Modeling transport of microplastics in enclosed coastal waters: A case study in the Fethiye Inner Bay

A numerical model was used to simulate how microplastic particles move through the Fethiye Inner Bay in Turkey, identifying coastal areas where plastics are likely to accumulate. Such transport models are essential for predicting where marine protected areas and cleanup efforts will be most effective.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Modeling the Accumulation and Transport of Microplastics by Sea Ice

Researchers used numerical modeling to examine how positively and neutrally buoyant microplastics accumulate in and are transported by Arctic and Southern Ocean sea ice, finding that sea ice acts as a significant seasonal reservoir and redistribution mechanism for microplastic pollution in polar regions.

2020 Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Emission, Transport, and Deposition of visible Plastics in an Estuary and the Baltic Sea—a Monitoring and Modeling Approach

Researchers combined field monitoring and computer modeling to track how large micro- and mesoplastics (1–25 mm) travel from a German city through a river estuary and into the Baltic Sea, finding that estuaries and nearby beaches are major accumulation hotspots. The study shows that visible plastic particles are useful for modeling large-scale transport patterns, but cannot serve as reliable indicators for the far more abundant smaller microplastics below 1 mm.

2021 Environmental Management 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Physical transport properties of marine microplastic pollution

Researchers reviewed the physical transport properties of marine microplastics — including buoyancy, settling velocity, and biofouling effects — and developed models predicting the dispersal of both pelagic and benthic plastic pollution from land-based sources across different ocean regions. The study highlights how hydrodynamic behavior varies by polymer type and particle size, leading to differential accumulation patterns in surface waters, the water column, and seafloor sediments.

2012 182 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport of Microplastics From the Daugava Estuary to the Open Sea

Researchers developed a three-dimensional Eulerian tracer model incorporating wave-induced transport and biofouling to simulate microplastic transport from the Daugava River estuary through the Gulf of Riga to the open Baltic Sea, using multilayer nested grids at up to 0.05 nautical mile resolution and validating results against observational data.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of wind forcing on microplastics kinematic in a sensitive water area

Researchers modeled how wind forcing affects the movement and distribution of microplastics in a sensitive coastal water area, finding that wind-driven surface currents are a dominant control on where microplastics accumulate. The model predicts substantial wind-driven concentration at specific coastal zones.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Mersin Körfezinde Mikroplastik Taşınımının Sayısal Modellemesi

Researchers used numerical modeling to simulate the transport of microplastics in the coastal waters of Mersin Bay in the eastern Mediterranean. The models revealed how irregular bathymetry, winds, and water currents influence where microplastics accumulate in this region, which is important for predicting pollution hotspots.

2023 OpenMETU (Middle East Technical University)
Article Tier 2

Sinking microplastics in the water column: simulations in the Mediterranean Sea

Researchers simulated the vertical dispersion and distribution of negatively buoyant microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea using a realistic circulation model, evaluating how inertia, Coriolis force, turbulence, and variable seawater density affect sinking trajectories and accumulation zones.

2021 Ocean science 49 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of methods for modeling microplastic transport in the marine environments

This review systematically evaluated the advantages and limitations of various numerical modeling methods used to predict microplastic transport in marine environments, including key factors like parameterization of microplastic behaviors and beaching configurations.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Modeling the influence of biogeochemical processes on the transport of microplastics in the Arctic Ocean

Researchers modeled how seasonal marine biological processes — including biofouling by algae and zooplankton ingestion and excretion of microplastics — affect vertical transport of microplastics in the Arctic Ocean. The model showed that biological processes significantly alter where microplastics accumulate in the water column across seasons. These findings improve predictions of how microplastics distribute in polar oceans, where they can be sequestered or released back to the surface.

2023
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastic-Sediment Interactions on Microplastics Dispersion in the Gironde Estuary: A Modelling Approach

Researchers developed a hydrodynamic model to investigate how microplastic-sediment interactions influence the dispersion and transport of microplastics within the Gironde Estuary. The modeling approach demonstrated that sediment dynamics significantly affect microplastic fate, altering predicted spatial distributions compared to models that ignore particle-sediment interactions.

2025 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

On some physical and dynamical properties of microplastic particles in marine environment

This study examined the physical and dynamical properties of microplastic particles in marine environments, using modeling to predict how particle shape, density, and size govern transport, dispersion, and accumulation patterns.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 629 citations
Article Tier 2

Numerical modelling of microplastics transport and accumulation throughout Portuguese coast

Researchers used computer modeling to simulate how microplastics move and accumulate along Portugal's coastline. The modeling approach helps identify areas of highest plastic concentration and informs strategies to reduce microplastic pollution in marine environments.

2019 Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
Article Tier 2

Numerical Modelling of Plastic Debris Transport and Accumulation throughout Portuguese Coast

Researchers applied numerical modelling to simulate the transport and accumulation of plastic debris along the Portuguese coast, assessing how ocean currents drive microplastic dispersal and deposition patterns in this Atlantic coastal region. The study contributes spatial predictions of plastic accumulation hotspots to inform monitoring and management strategies.

2020 Journal of Coastal Research 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Oceanic realistic application of a microplastic biofouling model to the river discharge case

Researchers applied a biofouling model to simulate how microbial colonization affects microplastic transport from river discharge into oceanic environments, finding that biofouling alters particle density and significantly changes vertical distribution and transport distances.

2024 Environmental Pollution 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the influence of sub-mesoscale current structures on Baltic Sea connectivity through a Lagrangian analysis

Not relevant to microplastics — this oceanographic study uses Lagrangian particle tracking to model how sub-mesoscale currents affect water connectivity in the Baltic Sea, finding that the basin's long residence time (~790 days) makes it prone to pollutant accumulation, but does not study microplastics directly.

2024 Frontiers in Marine Science 3 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

Fate of microplastics and mesoplastics carried by surface currents and wind waves: A numerical model approach in the Sea of Japan

A particle-tracking ocean model for the Sea of Japan showed that surface currents, wind waves, and Stokes drift all influence the distribution of floating microplastics, with model outputs matching field survey data. The study demonstrates the value of combining wave dynamics with current models to predict where microplastics accumulate in coastal seas.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 208 citations