Quantifying the Influence of Size, Shape, and Density of Microplastics on their Transport Modes: A Modeling Approach

Huang, Y.; Yang, Z.; Wang, T.; Sun, N.; Duan, Z.; Wigmosta, M.; Maurer, B.

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116461

Quantifying the Influence of Size, Shape, and Density of Microplastics on their Transport Modes: A Modeling Approach

Journal Article · 15 May 2024 · Marine Pollution Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116461· OSTI ID:2367545

Huang, Y.; Yang, Z.; Wang, T.; Sun, N.; Duan, Z.; Wigmosta, M.; Maurer, B.

Microplastics (MPs) pose significant risks to marine ecosystems and human health, necessitating accurate predictions of their distributions in aquatic environments for effective risk mitigation. However, understanding MP transport dynamics is challenging because of the inadequate representation of MP characteristics such as size, shape, and density in numerical models. Further, the accuracy of the MP vertical profiles in existing models has not been thoroughly validated. Thus, we developed an MP transport model within the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model framework (FVCOM-MP) by integrating MP characteristics. We validated FVCOM-MP against experimental and analytical data, focusing on various MP transport modes and transitions. FVCOM-MP successfully replicates MP profiles in different transport modes, including the bedload, surface load, suspended load, and mixed load modes. Additionally, we introduce phase diagrams for classifying MP transport modes based on particle characteristics, enhancing our understanding of MP dynamics in aquatic systems. The transport modes for a number of real-world MP particles, including fishing line, plastic bag/bottle fragments, synthetic fibers, tire wear particles, polyvinyl chloride and expanded polystyrene pellets, were analyzed with these phase diagrams.

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Water Power Technologies Office

DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2367545

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5700-89996; MainId:91774; UUID:3b5ea419-f516-477b-9c61-74fa9602d248; MainAdminId:72683

Journal Information:: Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal Name: Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 203

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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