At a Glance

A researcher has created a model that allows scientiststo observe how microplastic fibersmove through the environment.Millions of tons of tiny microscopic pieces are bobbing around the world’s oceans.They make their way into soil, sediments, oceans and freshwater, including the Great Lakes.

A researcher has created a model that allows scientists for the first time to observe how microplastic fibersmove through the environment. The research could eventually help the world combat plastic pollution.

The model created by Nick Engdahl, assistant professor at Washington State University's department of civil and environmental engineering, uses physics to demonstratehow microfibers that originate from clothing, cosmetics, packaging and industrial processes wind up in oceans, freshwater systems, soils, humans and animals, according to a paper publishedin.

Microplastics are that are less than five millimeters long, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Millions of tons of these tiny microscopic pieces are bobbing around the world’s oceans, where they can harm the aquatic life that eat them. They are also making their way into soil, sediments and freshwater, including the Great Lakes.

“Every time you walk or rub against something your clothes are ,” Engdahl said in a press release. “I wanted to know whether they keep moving and spreading or if they just accumulate in one place.”

Microfibers from clothing are primarily released during the manufacturing process or while being washed. The fibers end up at wastewater plants, where they pass through filtration systems. Even those filtered out can wind up in sewage sludge that is later used as fertilizer or dumped in landfills.

Runoff from farmland and industrial sites pushes the microplastic fibers into oceans and freshwater systems where they'reconsumed by animals and subsequently consumed by us.

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Using his model, Engdahl determined that the size of the microplastics and the speed at which water moves determines whether the microfibers remainin the soil or moveon through the environment.

The next step for Engdahl is to validate his model projections ofmicrofibers with physical observations. He plans on doing that by measuring the fibers in a wastewater treatment facility. He hopes his research will shed light on the scourge of microplastics on our world and help communitiesbetter understand and reduce plastics pollution.

“The more data I can get from the real world, the more accurately I will be able to see if these things move around or stay put and pile up,” he said. “This will help us more accurately measure their environmental impact, which is largely unknown right now.”