New PLASTINEST Review Paper on Modelling Microplastic Dynamics in Estuaries

We are pleased to announce that a new PLASTINEST publication has been published in Geoscientific Model Development:

“Modelling Microplastic Dynamics in Estuaries: A Comprehensive Review, Challenges and Recommendations”

Process-based numerical models are becoming indispensable tools for studying microplastics. They complement field observations by resolving transport mechanisms and dispersion patterns that are difficult to observe directly.

This paper, part of Betty John Kaimathuruthy’s PhD work, provides a comprehensive review of modelling approaches applied to estuaries, including Eulerian models (analytical and numerical), Lagrangian particle tracking, and population balance equation models. For each approach, we analyze previous applications, discussing key aspects such as parameterizations, input data, model setups, and validation strategies.

The manuscript also assesses the strengths and limitations of each approach and proposes recommendations, good practices, and future directions to advance modelling strategies, improve predictive accuracy, and better integrate microplastic dynamics into estuarine research.

Congratulations to Betty John Kaimathuruthy for turning a PhD literature review into a synthesis paper for the modelling, plastic pollution, and estuarine science communities!

🔗 Read the preprint here: https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2025/egusphere-2025-529/

Kaimathuruthy et al. (2025)