Microplastic Hydrodynamics: Insights from Laboratory Modeling and In-Situ Sampling
Abstract
Microplastics, plastic debris smaller than 5 mm, have become ubiquitous in aquatic systems, appearing in both freshwater and marine systems, from densely populated regions to deep sea sediments and the Arctic. While there are numerous efforts across the globe on MP detection in various aquatic matrices, these efforts remain resource-intensive and often lack standardization. These challenges, combined with the complexity of regional and global sampling, make MP quantification highly uncertain. Although the presence of MP contaminants in water and sediment is governed by complex physical (and biochemical) processes, many sampling and detection efforts overlook these dynamics. Formulating these processes is highly beneficial for understanding the presence and fate of MPs but also challenging due to the variability in MP characteristics, including shape, size, and density.
This presentation will explore the competing physical mechanisms driving MP transport in aquatic systems, drawing on analogies with sediment transport. We will discuss our findings on the motion of MP particles and their interactions with the surrounding fluid across multiple scales—particle-scale, near-field, and far-field. Insights from laboratory experiments, high-fidelity computational modeling (including Large Eddy Simulation and Direct Numerical Simulation), and in-situ sampling will be presented. In collaboration with Canadian environmental agencies, these findings are informing the development of standardized modeling and sampling frameworks to enhance MP detection and prediction.
Short bio
Dr. Shooka Karimpour is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at York University, Toronto. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Fluid Dynamics from McGill University in 2015. Her expertise lies in developing and applying hydro-environmental models to investigate mixing, transport, and entrainment in multiphase flows. Her current research focuses on turbulence-induced transport of sediments and contaminants, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks. Her work has been published in leading journals such as Journal of Fluid Mechanics, and she has received national and international recognition, including the Best CSCE Hydrotechnical Paper Award (2018) and York University’s Research Award (2022).
Sandwiches are offered at the end of the seminar.
Microplastics, plastic debris smaller than 5 mm, have become ubiquitous in aquatic systems, appearing in both freshwater and marine systems, from densely populated regions to deep sea sediments and the Arctic. While there are numerous efforts across the globe on MP detection in various aquatic matrices, these efforts remain resource-intensive and often lack standardization. These challenges, combined with the complexity of regional and global sampling, make MP quantification highly uncertain. Although the presence of MP contaminants in water and sediment is governed by complex physical (and biochemical) processes, many sampling and detection efforts overlook these dynamics. Formulating these processes is highly beneficial for understanding the presence and fate of MPs but also challenging due to the variability in MP characteristics, including shape, size, and density.
This presentation will explore the competing physical mechanisms driving MP transport in aquatic systems, drawing on analogies with sediment transport. We will discuss our findings on the motion of MP particles and their interactions with the surrounding fluid across multiple scales—particle-scale, near-field, and far-field. Insights from laboratory experiments, high-fidelity computational modeling (including Large Eddy Simulation and Direct Numerical Simulation), and in-situ sampling will be presented. In collaboration with Canadian environmental agencies, these findings are informing the development of standardized modeling and sampling frameworks to enhance MP detection and prediction.
Short bio
Dr. Shooka Karimpour is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at York University, Toronto. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Fluid Dynamics from McGill University in 2015. Her expertise lies in developing and applying hydro-environmental models to investigate mixing, transport, and entrainment in multiphase flows. Her current research focuses on turbulence-induced transport of sediments and contaminants, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks. Her work has been published in leading journals such as Journal of Fluid Mechanics, and she has received national and international recognition, including the Best CSCE Hydrotechnical Paper Award (2018) and York University’s Research Award (2022).
Sandwiches are offered at the end of the seminar.
Practical information
- Informed public
- Free
Organizer
- Prof. Olga Fink (IMOS), Prof. Alexandre Alahi (VITA), Prof. Dusan Licina (HOBEL), Prof. Alain Nussbaumer (RESSLab)
Contact
- Paolo Perona