Microplastics (MPs) have recently gained widespread attention as one of the novel types of environmental pollutant. These minute plastic particles are transported from land to the ocean mainly via estuaries. Understanding the aggregation processes of MPs in estuarine water environments is essential for comprehending their dynamics within estuaries. Against this background, under Professor Chen Xingwei's supervision, Wang Yi, a doctoral candidate from the 2021 class in the School of Geographical Sciences of Fujian Normal University, conducted an experimental and theoretical study of the aggregation behavior of polyethylene MPs, the most widely distributed type of MPs in natural aquatic environments, revealing how the MPs aggregate under various environmental conditions.
The outcomes of his research have been published under the titles Aggregation behavior of polyethylene microplastics in the nearshore environment: The role of particle size, environmental condition, and turbulent flow and Influence of typical clay minerals on aggregation and settling of pristine and aged polyethylene microplastics in the journals Science of the Total Environment and Environmental Pollution, respectively. Wang Yi, the doctoral candidate, is listed as the first author, and Professor Chen Xingwei, the advisor, is the corresponding author. The primary institutional affiliation for this research is attributed to Fujian Normal University. Notably, the research is supported by the Joint Funds of National Natural Science Foundation of China (Key Program and General Program).
Original Links: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165941
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120649
(Translated by Xiao Zhiying/ Reviewed by Lin Bin)