A Washington State University researcher for the first time has modeled how microplastic fibers move through the environment.
A Washington State University researcher for the first time has modeled how microplastic fibers move through the environment.
The work, published in the journal Advances in Water Resources, could someday help communities better understand and reduce plastics pollution, which is a growing problem around the world.
Millions of tons of plastic waste in tiny microscopic pieces are bobbing around the world’s oceans and are finding their way into soil, sediments and freshwater. Plastic debris comes from many sources including synthetic clothing fibers, cosmetics, packaging and industrial processes. These plastic bits often end up in the oceans, harming the marine life that eats them.
Researchers have studied and measured microplastics in a variety of environments, but Nick Engdahl, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is the first to model how the synthetic fibers move.
Read more at Washington State University
Image: This is Nick Engdahl, assistant professor in WSU's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. (Credit: WSU)
