Laboratory experiments on the fate and transport of microplastics in riverine environments: a review.
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| Title: | Laboratory experiments on the fate and transport of microplastics in riverine environments: a review. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Lau, Kelly Y. K.1 (AUTHOR) klau075@uottawa.ca, Mohammadian, Abdolmajid1 (AUTHOR), Pilechi, Abolghasem1,2 (AUTHOR), Nistor, Ioan1 (AUTHOR), Otoo, Ebenezer1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Environmental Reviews. 6/15/2026, Vol. 34, p1-29. 29p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Hydrodynamics, *Weathering, Microplastics, River travel, Abiotic environment, Particle dynamics analysis, Fouling, Chemistry experiments |
| Abstract: | Microplastics (MPs) from predominantly terrestrial sources are transported by rivers to the oceans. Yet, the underlying riverine transport processes remain insufficiently understood. This comprehensive review synthesizes some laboratory studies published between 2021 and 2025, also including earlier work where relevant, on MPs transport and transformation in experimentally simulated riverine flows, focusing on characterization, biofouling and abiotic weathering, and unconventional experimental designs quantifying settling, dispersion, vertical distributions, near-bed transport, incipient motion, and infiltration. Findings indicated that particle properties and environmental factors jointly determine MPs fate. Shape-dependent drag, along with changes in particle density and surrounding hydrodynamic profile from biofouling or UV aging, control settling behavior, and can accelerate either sinking or rising. Flow conditions (e.g., turbulence and presence of vegetation) govern longitudinal dispersion and vertical mixing, while bed roughness (ks) modulates near-bed transport regimes, shifting particles between rolling, saltation, and suspension. Standardized metrics and cross-scale experiments are needed to improve predictive models, with key gaps remaining in small-particle dynamics, non-spherical forms, and biofilm–turbulence interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Environmental Reviews is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | GreenFILE |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: 8gh DbLabel: GreenFILE An: 194518805 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Laboratory experiments on the fate and transport of microplastics in riverine environments: a review. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lau%2C+Kelly+Y%2E+K%2E%22">Lau, Kelly Y. K.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> klau075@uottawa.ca</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mohammadian%2C+Abdolmajid%22">Mohammadian, Abdolmajid</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pilechi%2C+Abolghasem%22">Pilechi, Abolghasem</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nistor%2C+Ioan%22">Nistor, Ioan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Otoo%2C+Ebenezer%22">Otoo, Ebenezer</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environmental+Reviews%22">Environmental Reviews</searchLink>. 6/15/2026, Vol. 34, p1-29. 29p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hydrodynamics%22">Hydrodynamics</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Weathering%22">Weathering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microplastics%22">Microplastics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22River+travel%22">River travel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Abiotic+environment%22">Abiotic environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Particle+dynamics+analysis%22">Particle dynamics analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fouling%22">Fouling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemistry+experiments%22">Chemistry experiments</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Microplastics (MPs) from predominantly terrestrial sources are transported by rivers to the oceans. Yet, the underlying riverine transport processes remain insufficiently understood. This comprehensive review synthesizes some laboratory studies published between 2021 and 2025, also including earlier work where relevant, on MPs transport and transformation in experimentally simulated riverine flows, focusing on characterization, biofouling and abiotic weathering, and unconventional experimental designs quantifying settling, dispersion, vertical distributions, near-bed transport, incipient motion, and infiltration. Findings indicated that particle properties and environmental factors jointly determine MPs fate. Shape-dependent drag, along with changes in particle density and surrounding hydrodynamic profile from biofouling or UV aging, control settling behavior, and can accelerate either sinking or rising. Flow conditions (e.g., turbulence and presence of vegetation) govern longitudinal dispersion and vertical mixing, while bed roughness (ks) modulates near-bed transport regimes, shifting particles between rolling, saltation, and suspension. Standardized metrics and cross-scale experiments are needed to improve predictive models, with key gaps remaining in small-particle dynamics, non-spherical forms, and biofilm–turbulence interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Environmental Reviews is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1139/er-2025-0241 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 29 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Hydrodynamics Type: general – SubjectFull: Weathering Type: general – SubjectFull: Microplastics Type: general – SubjectFull: River travel Type: general – SubjectFull: Abiotic environment Type: general – SubjectFull: Particle dynamics analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Fouling Type: general – SubjectFull: Chemistry experiments Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Laboratory experiments on the fate and transport of microplastics in riverine environments: a review. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lau, Kelly Y. K. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mohammadian, Abdolmajid – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pilechi, Abolghasem – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Nistor, Ioan – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Otoo, Ebenezer IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 15 M: 06 Text: 6/15/2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 11818700 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 34 Titles: – TitleFull: Environmental Reviews Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
