Articles | Volume 15, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-717-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-717-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Technical note: On the importance of a three-dimensional approach for modelling the transport of neustic microplastics
Isabel Jalón-Rojas
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
The Sino-Australian Research Centre for Coastal Management, School of
Science, UNSW Canberra, Canberra, 2610, Australia
Xiao-Hua Wang
The Sino-Australian Research Centre for Coastal Management, School of
Science, UNSW Canberra, Canberra, 2610, Australia
Erick Fredj
Department of Computer Sciences, Jerusalem College of Technology, Jerusalem, Israel
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- Exploring water accumulation dynamics in the Pearl River estuary from a Lagrangian perspective M. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-931-2024
- Assessing the potential risk and relationship between microplastics and phthalates in surface seawater of a heavily human-impacted metropolitan bay in northern China Y. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111067
- Experimental investigation of settling velocity for cuboidal microplastic S. Kwon et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2025.104693
- Microplastics in a salt-wedge estuary: Vertical structure and tidal dynamics S. Defontaine et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111688
- The streaming of plastic in the Mediterranean Sea A. Baudena et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30572-5
- Microplastics in bays: Transport processes and numerical models K. Senathirajah & C. Pattiaratchi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179995
- Sea Waves Transport of Inertial Micro-Plastics: Mathematical Model and Applications A. Stocchino et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse7120467
- Microplastics in freshwater and marine ecosystems: Occurrence, characterization, sources, distribution dynamics, fate, transport processes, potential mitigation strategies, and policy interventions T. Jolaosho et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118036
- Baseline assessment of microplastics and biochemical response of Anadara antiquata as a sentinel species for biomonitoring in Fiji R. Varea et al. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF24083
- Modelling microplastic dynamics in estuaries: a comprehensive review, challenges, and recommendations B. Kaimathuruthy et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-7227-2025
- Low-Density Plastic Debris Dispersion beneath the Mediterranean Sea Surface A. Baudena et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c08873
- Model uncertainties of a storm and their influence on microplastics and sediment transport in the Baltic Sea R. Osinski et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/os-16-1491-2020
- High-density microplastics in wastewater treatment plants and aquatic environment: review, challenges, and future prospects E. Otoo & A. Mohammadian https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2025-0154
- Modeling of Microplastics Migration in Soil and Groundwater: Insights into Dispersion and Particle Property Effects Y. Wei et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c05202
- Horizontal and vertical dispersion in a wind-driven oceanic gyre model J. Barrientos Valencia et al. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0223344
- Resolution dependency of sinking Lagrangian particles in ocean general circulation models P. Nooteboom et al. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238650
- Surface dispersion of coastal discharges in North America towards the Great Pacific Garbage Patch M. Amador & L. Sansón https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114961
- The role of estuarine axial convergent fronts in microplastic dispersal N. Jones et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1788540
- Asymmetric vertical transport in weakly forced shallow flows L. Flores Ramírez et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechflu.2024.09.004
- Temporal Distribution of Microplastics and other Anthropogenic Particles in Abiotic Compartments of a Coastal Lagoon from the Atlantic Coast C. Lefebvre et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-025-07959-3
- A 3D numerical model to Track Marine Plastic Debris (TrackMPD): Sensitivity of microplastic trajectories and fates to particle dynamical properties and physical processes I. Jalón-Rojas et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.02.052
- Experimental study of the mutual interactions between waves and tailored turbulence B. Smeltzer et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2023.280
- Dispersion of heavy particles under sea waves A. De Leo & A. Stocchino https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0074760
- Southward key pathways of radioactive materials from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Y. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1368674
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Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 03 Jun 2026
Short summary
Simplified 2-D numerical models are typically used for simulating the transport of floating microplastics. This paper demonstrates the impact of vertical mixing on the horizontal transport and fate of microplastics in a bay and therefore the importance of a 3-D approach for accurate modelling of microplastics transport. These results have important implications for the assessment and prediction of pollution hot spots in coastal systems as well as for planning effective clean-up programmes.
Simplified 2-D numerical models are typically used for simulating the transport of floating...