Particle trace modelling
A customizable hydrological model has been developed to predict the downstream spread of plastic pollution in rivers, providing insights into waste spreading times, trapping points, and optimal cleanup locations based on input data such as elevation, hydrology, vegetation, and pollution levels.
A tailorable non-permanent hydrological model has been developed and validated to predict the spreading of the plastic flood downstream the rivers. The model needs certain input data for a new location like the digital elevation model, hydrological regimes,details about vegetation and recent situation about plastic pollution.The outputs of the modeling can include the spreading time of the waste helping to define intervention points and times, and identification of trapping points where the waste leaves the riverbed and remains in the floodplain. Regarding the planning of interventions, the model can also help in finding the right location for cleanups by identification of points where the waste proceeds in a narrow path close to the shore.
References and publications:
Fleit G., Nagy T., Málnás A.K., Husztik D., Ilcsik Cs., Molnár D.A., Gyalai-Korpos M., Baranya S. (2023) Coupled Field and Numerical Analysis of Riverine Macroplastic Transport. In Proceedings of the 40th IAHR World Congress, 21–25 August 2023, Vienna, Austria.
https://www.iahr.org/library/infor?pid=29582
The Sustainable Development and Technologies National Programme of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences by Budapest University of Technology and Economics