Riverine plastic transport
In this research theme, we focus on macroplastics and microplastics in bodies of water. Plastic pollution in rivers, lakes, estuaries, and seas is a growing threat for ecosystem health and human livelihood. Reliable data and fundamental understanding of plastic quantities, types, and transport mechanisms are crucial to optimize prevention and reduction strategies.
Macroplastics
Our work related to macroplastics focusses on:
- Development of field techniques to consistently quantify plastic in and around rivers;
- Fundamental research on driving mechanisms of plastic mobilization, transport, and retention;
- Exploring the use of space-borne and close-range remote sensing for (automated) plastic monitoring;
- Investigating the role of extreme events, including floods, on plastic transport;
- Model development to estimate global river plastic transport and emissions into the ocean;
- Capacity building among governments, practitioners, academics, and other stakeholders on plastic monitoring methods and strategies;
Microplastics
Microplastics are known to be ubiquitous contaminants and although our knowledge about them is constantly increasing, we know little about the processes that guide their dispersal in the aquatic environment. Often, theoretical principles from natural sediment transport are used to describe microplastics transport, but do they provide sufficiently accurate results for this new "artificial sediment"?
At the HWM group, we aim to answer this question and to further improve our understanding of microplastic transport by combining physical model experiments with environmental sampling and hydronumerical modelling. The fundamental transport processes of microplastics are hereby important basics to better understand the distribution and accumulation of microplastics in the environment and ultimately to take measures to reduce environmental pollution with plastics. Currently, we have three major projects on microplastic transport (impact of turbulence, impact of biofouling, impact of aggregation) and one project that is bridging the gap between micro- and macroplastics.