Last 5th and 6th of April, a workshop about Modeling was conducted in Villefranche sur Mer.
The workshop aimed to achieve two key objectives:
- rReview of the protocols and methods developed by Sorbonne University for in situ plastic incubations, and for laboratory experiments on particle drop rates in a settling column.
- Discussion about the experimental results of plastic drop and settling rates as a function of plastic colonization.
Emma Labis presented the results of the experiments on biofouling, while Alberto Baudena shared the findings of the research on “Plastic pathways in the Mediterranean Sea and its potential impact on marine biota”. Wilhelm Riom from KU Leuven also presented his work on biofouling modeling.
Additionally, KUL students were given the opportunity to participate in a sea trip to collect plastics incubated in the Villefranche Bay since October 2022. They also followed the experiments conducted in the laboratory concerning the fall of plastics, image analysis, and video analysis of plastics.
During the workshop, the participants identified parameters from the experiments that would be useful for the model. These parameters will be used to prepare the technical report D7.8, which will describe the multi-parameter closure of the sedimentation rate and provide an analysis of the plastic upwelling and sedimentation rate.
Overall, the workshop was a success in advancing the understanding of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, and it is hoped that this will lead to further progress in tackling this pressing environmental issue.
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