We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Unraveling the impacts of meteorological and anthropogenic changes on sediment fluxes along an estuary-sea continuum
ClearTide-dominated estuaries as gateways and filters of plastic pollution to the Ocean: insights from the PLASTINEST project
The ANR PLASTINEST project investigated how tide-dominated estuaries act as both gateways and filters for plastic pollution reaching the ocean, using field measurements, physical experiments, and numerical modeling to understand the trapping and transport dynamics of microplastics in macrotidal estuarine environments.
Transfer dynamic of macroplastics in estuaries — New insights from the Seine estuary: Part 1. Long term dynamic based on date-prints on stranded debris
Researchers tracked the transfer dynamics of macroplastics through the Seine estuary using dated Microlax packaging as markers, revealing that plastic transport is nonlinear and highly influenced by tidal cycles, river flow, and deposition events along riverbanks. The findings provide new insight into how estuaries function as temporary plastic reservoirs rather than simple conduits to the sea.
From historical plastic pollution to environmental remediation scenarios. A case study in the Seine estuary
Researchers examined historical plastic pollution accumulation in the Seine estuary, where tidal dynamics trap plastic debris on riverbanks, and modeled remediation scenarios for managing the estimated one million tons of plastic waste generated annually in the Paris region.
Influence of estuarine physical processes in the transport of microplastics: a modelling study in the Gironde estuary
Researchers developed a hydrodynamic model to investigate how estuarine physical processes in the Gironde estuary influence the transport and distribution of microplastics, examining the role of tidal currents, salinity gradients, and fluvial discharge on particle fate. The modelling study provides insight into the mechanisms controlling microplastic accumulation and export in estuarine environments.
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.
Assessing the environmental impacts of engineering and agrochemical pollution in a historically-eutrophic estuary: The Mondego case (W Portugal)
Researchers used a multiproxy sedimentary analysis combining biotic, geochemical, sedimentological, and radionuclide data to assess cumulative anthropogenic impacts on the Mondego Estuary in western Portugal, finding that upstream channel closure triggered rapid continentalization and altered hydrosedimentary dynamics.
Trapping and bypassing of suspended particulate matter, particulate nutrients and faecal indicator organisms in the river-estuary transition zone of a shallow macrotidal estuary
Researchers studied how suspended particles — including nutrients and fecal bacteria — move through the zone where a river meets an estuary, finding that tides, seasons, and river flood events all drive complex patterns of particle transport. The study reveals that this river-estuary transition zone acts more as a particle conduit than a long-term trap, with implications for water quality monitoring.
Physical Controls on Microplastic Retention in Estuarine Systems: Interactions Between Hydrodynamics, Stratification, Bathymetry, and Particle Properties
This review synthesizes how tidal patterns, river flow, water layering (stratification), estuary shape, and plastic particle properties together determine whether microplastics entering estuaries get trapped in sediments or flushed out to sea. Understanding these physical controls matters because estuaries are critical transition zones — nursery habitats for fish, shellfish, and migratory birds — and knowing where microplastics accumulate helps predict which species and communities face the highest exposure.
Transport and retention of sinking microplastics in a well-mixed estuary
Researchers used numerical particle-tracking experiments to examine how sinking microplastics are retained in well-mixed estuaries under varying tidal and freshwater flow conditions. They found that over 90% of sinking particles were retained in the estuary, with retention rates highly sensitive to particle density and size. The study confirms that estuaries can act as significant accumulation zones for microplastics, trapping particles before they reach the open ocean.
Simulating the impact of estuarine fronts on microplastic concentrations in well-mixed estuaries
Researchers used a high-resolution 3D hydrodynamic model of the Conwy Estuary in Wales to simulate how estuarine fronts influence microplastic concentration and dispersal, finding that tidal fronts can trap and concentrate particles — increasing local exposure and affecting how much plastic is exported to coastal waters.
Unravelling spatio-temporal patterns of suspended microplastic concentration in the Natura 2000 Guadalquivir estuary (SW Spain): Observations and model simulations
Researchers combined field observations and computational modeling to map the spatial and temporal distribution of suspended microplastics in the Guadalquivir estuary, a protected Natura 2000 site in Spain. The study found that microplastic concentrations were influenced by river flow, tidal dynamics, and proximity to urban areas, with the estuary acting as a conduit for transporting land-based plastic pollution to the ocean.
Estuaries as Filters for Riverine Microplastics: Simulations in a Large, Coastal-Plain Estuary
Hydrodynamic simulations of a large US coastal plain estuary found that estuaries function as effective filters for riverine microplastics by promoting particle settling and biofouling-induced sinking, potentially explaining the discrepancy between high river inputs and relatively lower microplastic concentrations observed in coastal ocean surveys.
Numerical modeling of microplastic interaction with fine sediment under estuarine conditions
This study developed a numerical model to simulate how microplastics interact with fine sediment particles under estuary conditions. Researchers found that interactions with suspended sediment significantly influence where microplastics travel and accumulate in coastal waterways. The model provides a new tool for predicting microplastic transport patterns and identifying pollution hotspots in estuarine environments.
Investigating microplastic behaviour in a well-mixed estuary
This study used a 3D computer model to track how microplastics move through a tidal estuary in Wales, exploring whether estuaries trap or release plastics into coastal waters. Understanding this is important for predicting microplastic exposure in areas used for fishing and recreation.
Seine Plastic Debris Transport Tenfolded During Increased River Discharge
Researchers monitored plastic debris transport in the Seine River in France, finding that plastic flow increased tenfold during high river discharge events compared to low-flow conditions, demonstrating that episodic flood events dominate riverine plastic emissions to the ocean.
Size-dependent microplastics transport in a sediment rich environment
Researchers developed a two-dimensional depth-averaged numerical model using Population Balance Equations to simulate size-dependent microplastic transport in the Scheldt estuary, accounting for interactions between cohesive and non-cohesive sediments. The model revealed that intertidal areas act as sinks trapping microplastics, while turbidity maxima zones are hotspots for suspended microplastics.
Occurrence and dynamics of microplastics and emerging concern microparticles in coastal sediments: Impact of stormwater upgrade and port-associated facilities
Researchers monitored microplastics in coastal sediments near a stormwater outfall and port facilities in the southwestern Atlantic, tracking how a stormwater system upgrade affected particle transport over time. The study confirms that both urban runoff and port activities are significant sources of microplastic pollution in coastal sediments, and that infrastructure changes can influence contamination levels.
Recent environmental and morphosedimentary evolution of the mining-impacted Nalón Estuary (Asturias, N Spain): Disentangling natural and anthropogenic processes
Researchers studied a mining-impacted estuary in northern Spain to separate the effects of natural processes like flooding from human activities like coal and mercury mining. They found that both natural events and mining waste caused significant changes to sediment buildup and erosion, with microplastics serving as one of several indicators used to track how the estuary has changed over the past century.
Mobilization and deposition of plastic along an estuarine bank during tidal cycles
An experimental study in a French macrotidal estuary tracked plastic debris (macro, meso, and microplastics ≥3 mm) across six tidal cycles, finding that tidal mobilization and deposition patterns on estuarine banks are highly dynamic and dependent on plastic composition, shape, and tidal stage.
The role of pumping and turnover in controlling microplastics entrapment and release in sand-bed rivers
Researchers developed a mathematical framework to model how microplastics are trapped and released in sand-bed rivers through the combined effects of water flow and dune migration. The study found that dune movement substantially alters how microplastics are transported and buried in river sediments, with a nonlinear interplay between shallow rapid exchange and deep burial that depends on dune size and flow conditions.
The combination of detection and simulation for the distribution and sourcing of microplastics in Shing Mun River estuary, Hong Kong
Researchers combined field sampling with hydrodynamic computer modelling to trace the sources and movement of microplastics in a Hong Kong river estuary, finding polyethylene was the dominant polymer type and that tidal conditions strongly influenced where plastics accumulated in water, sediment, and oysters. The combined detection-simulation approach offers a more complete picture of microplastic sources and transport than sampling alone, which is important for managing contamination in estuaries used for aquaculture.
Characterizing export of land-based microplastics to the estuary - Part I: Application of integrated geospatial microplastic transport models to assess tire and road wear particles in the Seine watershed
Researchers developed an integrated geospatial model to track tire and road wear particles from their generation points through the Seine watershed to the estuary. The study found that a substantial portion of these microplastic particles are retained in soils and freshwater sediments during transport, suggesting that land-based microplastic export to coastal waters depends heavily on local hydrology and land use patterns.
Hydrology Modulates the Microplastics Composition and Transport Flux Across the River–Sea Interface in Zhanjiang Bay, China
Researchers measured how tides and seasonal rainfall affect the movement of microplastics through an estuary in southern China. They found that microplastic levels rose during low tides and dropped during high tides, with an estimated 1.6 billion particles flowing from river to sea each year. The findings provide a framework for understanding how water flow patterns drive microplastic transport into coastal environments.
Settling of buoyant microplastic in estuaries: The importance of flocculation
Researchers demonstrated that flocculation causes buoyant microplastics to settle 5-21 times faster in estuarine waters than in freshwater, supporting the concept that estuaries act as traps that reduce the overall microplastic load reaching the open ocean.