Dipartimento di
Ingegneria Meccanica e Aerospaziale

TIPO PROGETTO: PRIN 2022 a scorrimento n. 202247MA8A– “finanziato dall’Unione Europe Next Generation EU”
 
Titolo progetto: Plastic and biological Micro-pARtIcle distributioN inducED by sea waves at the bottom, free-sUrface and denSiTy interfaces (MARINE DUST)
 
Abstract: 
10.1 MOTIVATION 
The main concern of the present project gravitates around the processes underlying the dispersal of buoyant particles caused by non-breaking progressive wind-waves. When waves approach the coast over relatively shallow water, they strongly interact with the bottom possibly causing the mixing and the transport of the bottom material. The necessity of predicting mixing and transport phenomena arose in different scientific communities: while the erosion and transport of sediments, which mostly consists of inert material (sand grains and clay), can seriously affect the efficiency of maritime activities, nutrients and organic pollutants (PCB, PAH, plastic particles), as well as biological material (algae, pathogens) dispersed in water, can threaten the human health. In particular, the present project is motivated by the problem of predicting the fate of plastic microscopic particles (MPs) and harmful micro-algae in the coastal environment (see Figure 1). 
10.2 PROJECT OBJECTIVES 
The quest or the project is twofold. 
• The effect of the turbulent boundary layer on the evolution of progressive non-breaking waves will be investigated by means of direct numerical simulations (DNS). The flow field will be evaluated for different wave parameters, considering both smooth and wavy bottom surfaces. The presence of flow stratification associated with a variable fluid density field (e.g. due to different salinity) will be also considered. 
• In such flow conditions, the motion of Lagrangian buoyant particles will be explored by using both DNS and laboratory experiments with the objective of modelling the particle dynamics and improving the capability to predict the concentration of MPs and microalgae. The mass transport and the presence of particle concentration patterns at the free surface will also be object of the present study. 
10.3 INNOVATION POTENTIAL 
To the best of proponents' knowledge, this is the first time that the DNS of non-breaking wind waves are carried out for values of the parameters such that turbulence appears at the bottom. It is also the first time that the dispersal of particles in a stratified flow is investigated by means of DNS. 
10.4 STATEMENT OF WORK 
Strong cooperation between the Research Units involved in the project is necessary. 
During the project 6 seminars, the organisation of a workshop and a short research visit at the University of Melbourne are scheduled to disseminate the results and promote crossfertilisation. Three post-doc grants are requested. 
10.5 EXPECTED OUTCOMES 
The main outcome of the project consists of knowledge improvement. The results will be published in peer-reviewed articles. Moreover, public access to the relevant data will be enabled through the website dedicated to the project. 
 
 
Team di Ricerca: 
Prof. Battista Francesco Università degli Studi di Roma 
 
Partner: 
Prof. Mazzuoli Marco Università degli Studi di Genova 
Prof. Cavallaro Luca Università degli Studi di Catania 
 
Durata Progetto: 
24 mesi 
 
Importo Finanziato (DIMA): 
€ 57.506