1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
[O11-P99] Where do you think plastic bottles go?
Keywords:Sea, Environment
Microplastics are plastic particles of 5 mm or smaller f in the natural environment.
There are two main types of microplastics. One is classified as primary microplastics, which are artificially shaped into 5 mm or smaller , such as the microscopic plastics found in cosmetics and soap,and pellets of bark used as raw materials for plastic products.icroplastics are classified as plastic products used in daily life, such as plastic bottles thatleaked into the environment without proper treatment
Microplastics are in various places on the earth, such as oceans, rivers, lakes, and soil, and are absorbed by all kinds of plants and animals, seriously affecting the ecosystem. These microplastics are by marine organisms and are abundant in predators at the top of the food chain. This is called “bioaccumulation, it in the ecosystem. This could eventually affect human food and is a health concern. Currently, many methods have been devised to collect microplastics in order to reduce their impact on the natural environment, but because microplastics are so small, the task is extremely difficult. Therefore, we are studying how microplastics are near sandy beaches with the aim of efficient collection.
In a previous study this research, we conducted an experiment in which a slope simulating a sandy beach was set up in a tank generate. In this experiment, plastic pieces were used instead of microplastics. We investigated how the plastic pieces were washed away from the slope and how they flowed into the slope. The results showed that as the number of waves increased, more plastic fragments flowed and more plastic fragments flowed down the slope. However, this study reproduced only the waves; n actual beaches, various environmental factors besides waves have an impact pecifically natural phenomena such as seafloor topography and wind. Without taking these factors into account, it is impossible to accurately predict the behavior of microplastics on actual beaches.
Therefore, in this study, a new method was investigated to overcome the problems of previous studies. Specifically, we artificially create a marine environment similar to that of a sandy beach by reproducing the seafloor topography by installing obstacles that imitate submarine volcanoes in a tank and by reproducing wind by using blowers and other devices. In addition, since the flow patterns of primary and secondary microplastics are expected to differ due to differences in surface geometry and other factors, experiments will be conducted separately on primary and secondary microplastics to investigate flow trends.
Through this study, we will determine the nature of the flow of microplastics by examining the pathways along which microplastics flow out to sea on actual beaches, mainly sandy beaches, and by collecting microplastics with nets from the flow. By collecting microplastics in this way, we believe we can collect microplastics more easily than conventional collection methods.
There are two main types of microplastics. One is classified as primary microplastics, which are artificially shaped into 5 mm or smaller , such as the microscopic plastics found in cosmetics and soap,and pellets of bark used as raw materials for plastic products.icroplastics are classified as plastic products used in daily life, such as plastic bottles thatleaked into the environment without proper treatment
Microplastics are in various places on the earth, such as oceans, rivers, lakes, and soil, and are absorbed by all kinds of plants and animals, seriously affecting the ecosystem. These microplastics are by marine organisms and are abundant in predators at the top of the food chain. This is called “bioaccumulation, it in the ecosystem. This could eventually affect human food and is a health concern. Currently, many methods have been devised to collect microplastics in order to reduce their impact on the natural environment, but because microplastics are so small, the task is extremely difficult. Therefore, we are studying how microplastics are near sandy beaches with the aim of efficient collection.
In a previous study this research, we conducted an experiment in which a slope simulating a sandy beach was set up in a tank generate. In this experiment, plastic pieces were used instead of microplastics. We investigated how the plastic pieces were washed away from the slope and how they flowed into the slope. The results showed that as the number of waves increased, more plastic fragments flowed and more plastic fragments flowed down the slope. However, this study reproduced only the waves; n actual beaches, various environmental factors besides waves have an impact pecifically natural phenomena such as seafloor topography and wind. Without taking these factors into account, it is impossible to accurately predict the behavior of microplastics on actual beaches.
Therefore, in this study, a new method was investigated to overcome the problems of previous studies. Specifically, we artificially create a marine environment similar to that of a sandy beach by reproducing the seafloor topography by installing obstacles that imitate submarine volcanoes in a tank and by reproducing wind by using blowers and other devices. In addition, since the flow patterns of primary and secondary microplastics are expected to differ due to differences in surface geometry and other factors, experiments will be conducted separately on primary and secondary microplastics to investigate flow trends.
Through this study, we will determine the nature of the flow of microplastics by examining the pathways along which microplastics flow out to sea on actual beaches, mainly sandy beaches, and by collecting microplastics with nets from the flow. By collecting microplastics in this way, we believe we can collect microplastics more easily than conventional collection methods.