Tracking microplastics: Helps researchers discover how microplastics move to improve stormwater management

Microplastic pollution is a serious environmental problem that harms animals and humans and impacts ecosystems around the world. These tiny pieces of plastic, less than 5 millimeters in diameter, are moved around the world by wind and water.

Nasrin Alamdari, assistant professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is on a mission to learn more about microplastics and how they behave.

In a study published in the journal Environment Pollution, she investigated how shape, size, and density affect the sinking rate of microplastic particles, and therefore how widely they are dispersed by rainwater. Participated in research affecting the.

“Not all microplastics move through water in the same way,” Alamdari said. “We need to know more about the environmental degradation of microplastics and how they are carried in urban rainwater. This research will help predict the paths different particles will take, and will help engineers reduce this pollution. You will gain a deeper understanding of how to capture

Researchers investigated how microplastics move from cities into water systems when it rains. They used modeling to understand how these small plastics are transported in urban areas and how their tendency to sink or float affects their travel paths.

The study found that the shape of microplastics, such as fibers, sheets, and small pieces, has a significant impact on the rate at which they sink, especially as they increase in size. Small plastics tend to float with water, while larger plastics are affected by their shape, size, and water flow conditions.

More than 80% of plastic introduced into the marine environment comes from landlocked sources, creating a major push to find long-term solutions to this growing problem. Hard surfaces in cities make it easier for microplastics to find their way into rivers and lakes, where they can harm living things and affect human health.

“Because urban areas have impermeable surfaces, these microplastics can move rapidly into nearby water bodies, leading to contamination of aquatic ecosystems and potential risks to public health,” Alamdari explained. .

Everything from homes, industry, and commercial facilities to roads and highways contribute to microplastic pollution released in urban stormwater runoff. Even the wind can carry light and small microplastics. By studying the material’s density, shape, and size, scientists can model how these microplastics move through the environment and provide strategies for integrating the infrastructure into traditional stormwater management practices. You can.

“Strategic implementation of permeable pavement, rain gardens, and vegetated wetlands can reduce the transport of microplastics by enhancing filtration and capturing microplastic particles before they reach storm drains,” said Alamdari. It will be possible,” he said.

“Land slope and surface roughness can influence the movement of microplastics. Knowing this, urban planners can design better green spaces and stormwater systems to capture microplastics. You can.”

Co-authors of the study are from the University of Missouri, the Missouri Water Center, and Imam Khomeini International University in Iran. Arghavan Beheshtimaal of the University of Missouri is the paper’s lead author.