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Tracing the horizontal transport of microplastics on rough surfaces

Title data

Laermanns, Hannes ; Lehmann, Moritz ; Klee, Marcel ; Löder, Martin G. J. ; Gekle, Stephan ; Bogner, Christina:
Tracing the horizontal transport of microplastics on rough surfaces.
In: Microplastics and Nanoplastics. Vol. 1 (2021) . - 11.
ISSN 2662-4966
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-021-00010-2

Official URL: Volltext

Project information

Project title:
Project's official title
Project's id
SFB 1357 Mikroplastik
SFB1357

Project financing: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Related research data

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4911185

Abstract in another language

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in different ecosystems have recently become subjects of numerous studies. However, to date the research has focused mainly on marine and freshwater ecosystems and widely neglected terrestrial environments. Only recently, first studies investigated the microplastics contamination of soils. Therefore, we know little about the transport mechanisms of microplastics in soils and sediments and virtually nothing about their surface transport. In this study we investigate surface transport mechanisms by tracking fluorescent, irregularly shaped polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) particles in real time in a laboratory setup. In 108 experimental runs, we vary the irrigation rates, inclinations and surface roughnesses. Additionally, we simulate the small-scale flow patterns to resolve the role of the roughness-induced microrelief. Our results suggest that microplastics are transported along preferential pathways resulting from the micro- and macrorelief, which can be correlated to the flow pattern observed in the computer simulation. Our model study facilitates a deeper insight into microplastic transport on different soil surfaces and serves as a pilot for investigating mechanisms of horizontal microplastic transport. However, microplastics are a diverse group of contaminants with varying shapes, densities and sizes. Therefore, for a full understanding of transport of microplastics in terrestrial environments, it is important to address these properties as well as more variable surfaces for horizontal migration and to include vertical transport mechanisms in future research.

Further data

Item Type: Article in a journal
Refereed: Yes
Keywords: Microplastics; Surface transport; Surface roughness; PMMA; sCMOS camera; Particle tracking
Institutions of the University: Faculties
Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science
Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Department of Physics
Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Department of Physics > Professor Theoretical Physics VI - Simulation and Modelling of Biofluids
Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Department of Physics > Professor Theoretical Physics VI - Simulation and Modelling of Biofluids > Professor Theoretical Physics VI - Simulation and Modelling of Biofluids - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Stephan Gekle
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology > Chair Animal Ecology I
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology > Chair Animal Ecology I > Chair Animal Ecology I - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Earth Sciences
Profile Fields
Profile Fields > Advanced Fields
Profile Fields > Advanced Fields > Polymer and Colloid Science
Profile Fields > Advanced Fields > Ecology and the Environmental Sciences
Research Institutions > Central research institutes > Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research- BayCEER
Research Institutions > Collaborative Research Centers, Research Unit > SFB 1357 - MIKROPLASTIK
Research Institutions
Research Institutions > Central research institutes
Research Institutions > Collaborative Research Centers, Research Unit
Result of work at the UBT: Yes
DDC Subjects: 500 Science > 500 Natural sciences
500 Science > 530 Physics
500 Science > 540 Chemistry
500 Science > 550 Earth sciences, geology
500 Science > 570 Life sciences, biology
Date Deposited: 06 Jul 2021 13:48
Last Modified: 04 Aug 2023 09:56
URI: https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/66461