Volta

Trapping of microplastic particles in Germany’s largest drinking water reservoir: a simulation study

Microplastic (MP) pollution has garnered global attention due to its ubiquity in marine and freshwater systems, as well as its potential—though still uncertain—risks to human health. While MP concentrations in drinking water remain relatively low, safeguarding reservoir-based drinking water supplies against potential contamination remains a pressing concern. In this study, we applied a rigorously validated, two-dimensional hydrodynamic model (CE-QUAL-W2) to Germany’s largest drinking water reservoir, the Rappbode Reservoir, to examine MP retention under realistic inflow, meteorological, and operational conditions. Our primary aim was to quantify how varying particle settling velocities (0.1–1.0 m d⁻ 1 ) influence MP transport, sedimentation, and breakthrough to the raw water outlet over a 2-year simulation period. We demonstrate that reservoir-scale retention efficiency rises sharply with …

Reference & gravity metrics

Secondary-market trade history

References (0)

Cited by (1)