InMoBed: Inception of Movement and Bedload in MacroPlastics

• Applicant: Professor Mario Franca, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Geotechnics, Hydraulic Engineering
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 544497445

Plastic pollution in rivers can have significant impacts on the environment and wildlife. Plastics can persist in the environment for hundreds of years and can harm animals that ingest them or become entangled in them. Additionally, plastic pollution in rivers can lead to the accumulation of toxins and other pollutants, which can then enter the food chain and harm both wildlife and human health. The risks associated with plastic pollution in rivers make it essential to develop effective solutions to mitigate this problem. In this research project, we aim to better understand how plastic travels in rivers, particularly the part of the plastic that sinks and moves along the riverbed. Currently, we know very little about this type of plastic transport, which can nonetheless amount to 50% of all plastics in rivers. Our research builds on detailed laboratory models that allow the detailed study of different key variables that can be decisive in the conveyance of plastics within freshwater environments, which ultimately defines a great part of their fate. By studying the way that plastics travel over the riverbed, we can learn more about where they might get trapped and accumulate or develop better monitoring strategies.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants