Microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than half a centimeter in diameter. Today, they can be found all over the planet: in the sea, soil, air, and even on glaciers and mountain tops far from human habitation. Scientists have also found them in the human brain and placenta.

"Microplastics enter the sea, for example, from wastewater, fishing, and shipping, but larger plastic debris already in the sea also breaks down into smaller particles," said Enriko Siht, an early-stage researcher at the university's department of marine systems.

Some particles float on the surface while others sink to the seabed. Both can be moved along by currents. Algae that grows and spreads in the gulf can also attach to the microplastics.

To better understand the issues, researchers created an open-source computer model to track the particles in the sea. They used data about Baltic Sea currents, temperature, and salinity with a resolution of up to 250 meters.

The team tested the impact of different processes on the movement of both lighter and heavier particles, turning processes on and off one at a time and adjusting their intensity.

"The simulations provided the researchers with valuable information for configuring the model so that, in the future, it can be used to study the distribution pathways of microplastics using real pollution loads," Siht said.

The also provides important information for improving environmental protection in the Baltic Sea.

For example, a more accurate understanding of microplastic movements helps identify likely so-called hotspots where microplastics accumulate both along the coast and on the seabed.

By better understanding the impact of pollution sources and the pathways of plastic distribution, it is possible to design more effective measures to reduce the entry of microplastics into the sea and to protect the more sensitive areas of the Baltic Sea.

The study was published in the journal Ocean Dynamics.

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