Transport model: microplastic in Lake Baikal

Abstract

With the help of a transport model, the issues of the distribution of neutrally floating particles simulating microplastic (MP) in Lake Baikal are studied. A three-dimensional model of the lake hydro-thermodynamics in the non-hydrostatic formulation is used to produce the fields of currents and the other necessary parameters for the transport model. To give generality to the conclusions, we use a set of parameters that are conditionally combined into hypothetical scenarios. In them, we design the "climatic" scenarios of external influences, in accordance to which the fields of currents and temperature in the hydrodynamic model are calculated. Depending of the goals of the study, we also formulate the specific tasks for giving the impurity sources in the transport model. The results of calculations are presented, in which some possible locations of an increased concentration of impurities in the lake were revealed.

Hypothetical scenarios of microplastics propagation in Lake Baikal

“…These are Barguzinsky and Chivyrkuisky bays, the Maloe More Strait, the northernmost and southernmost extremities of the lake, and others. The same conclusions can be drawn based on the longer scenario calculations 8 . If to take into account the results of the calculations, then, in principle, it is possible to propose a strategy for cleaning the most polluted areas of the lake by means and tools, if any, appear in Baikal.…”

“…Therefore, as a rule, it takes considerable time to obtain specific digital data on the concentration of impurities. Nevertheless, research on the spread of MP in various environments in the world is progressing significantly, including by methods of mathematical modeling [6][7][8] .…”

“…Since, in the context of our study, MP spreads in Lake Baikal, the author's three-dimensional model in the non-hydrostatic approximation is used here to simulate the processes of hydrothermodynamics of the lake. It is represented by the system of equations including three equations of motion, equation of temperature, and continuity equation 8 . Accordingly, the model includes three components of the velocity vector, as well as the pressure, density and temperature of the water in the lake.…”