Short-term buoyant microplastic transport patterns driven by wave evolution, breaking, and orbital motion in coast.
Mar Pollut Bull
; 201: 116248, 2024 Apr.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38479323
ABSTRACT
Recently, there has been a notable rise in social and scientific interest regarding microplastic pollution in coasts where waves significantly influence flow patterns and material transport. This study explores typical short-term movement of buoyant microplastics driven by surf zone processes including wave transformation, breaking, and orbital motion. To track microplastics, Lagrangian Particle Tracking Model (PTM) coupled with Eulerian wave-current interaction model appropriate for coastal hydrodynamics was used. From the simulations, several important findings were observed. (i) In alongshore uniform beaches, lighter and larger buoyant microplastics tended to reach beach more readily. (ii) Accurate predictions of microplastic transport in the surf zone required the consideration of wave breaking. (iii) In alongshore non-uniform coastal bathymetry, rip-currents can send buoyant microplastics offshore, beyond the surf zone.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Contaminantes Químicos del Agua
/
Microplásticos
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Mar Pollut Bull
/
Mar. pollut. bull
/
Marine pollution bulletin
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article