Title
Effects of hydrodynamics on the cross‐sectional distribution and transport of plastic in an urban coastal rive
Author
Charlotte J. Haberstroh, Mauricio E. Arias, Zhewen Yin, Michael Cai Wang
Year
2020
Journal
Journal of the Water Environment Federation
Abstract
The mechanisms of plastic transport in rivers remain an important knowledge gap in global plastic pollution research and management. We investigated how river flows and plastics’ properties affect transport with a five‐point cross‐sectional field study in the Hillsborough River in Tampa (Florida, USA) using a 500‐µm Neuston net and an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler. We conducted in‐depth analysis of water velocity profiles as well as plastics’ concentrations and properties, determining advective, vertical, and lateral transport fluxes. Under calm flow conditions, advective fluxes were two orders of magnitude higher than lateral and vertical fluxes. Under turbulent conditions, enhanced particle exchange in the cross‐section resulted in a three to tenfold increase in lateral and vertical plastic fluxes. The impact of turbulence on plastic particles depended on properties such as size, shape, and composition. This study presents a unique assessment of flow conditions driving plastic pollution in an urban coastal river setting.
Instrument
NRS-4500
Keywords
Raman imaging, microplastics, costal river