Vanaf 14 maart gaan Arend Bolt en Haico Wevers aan boord van de Beagle opzoek naar de plastic soep. Namens de Van Gansewinkel Groep en Koninklijke Boskalis Westminster gaan Arend en Haico het probleem van de plastic soep in kaart brengen. Volg de avonturen op hun weblog Met de Beagle door de plastic soep.

Door Denktank

During our joint meeting - Boskalis and Van Gansewinkel, in The Netherlands - an idea just 'bubbled up', literally. It is a concept for collecting the smaller plastic particles below the surface. But as always, we ended up with questions. Read it here.

Concept
The concept is based on the idea to a) deploy bubble curtains to create confined areas that can trap plastic particles (cf hunting strategy of whales!), b) use air bubbles ('air lift') to drive plastic particles from deeper water to sea surface into confined areas, c) collect plastics from sea surface (fishing? suction? skimming? …). A similar method already is in use in the plastic industry, though at much smaller scale, in higher concentrations.
We should make smart use of natural processes, by identifying locations where plastic litter tends to concentrate (time/depth dependent?) and utilizing ocean currents to bring the plastics to the sampling location. The system should operate as a permanent system; it gradually improves the water quality.

Research issues
Optimal sampling spot:
• Where does plastic litter tend to concentrate (location, depth)?
• What is the distribution of plastic particles across water column?
• Do these vary with tidal cycle (eb/flood, spring/neap) or any other cyclic pattern?
• Analogy: Do litter hot spots coincide with locations where oil is found; both may indicate locations where sediment/plastics settle.

Sampling devices:
• Fishing / suction / skimming / …?
• Fixed point or sailing?

Scale analysis (reality check):
• Rough dimensions of confined areas.
• Rough capacity of air injection facilities.
• Natural supply (current-driven) of plastics into confined area.

Not surprisingly most of these research issues are also addressed under various other concepts, that have crossed our minds and others' all over the world. Yet again, I hope the idea above will feed your discussions and measurements on board.

[Bron: beagleplasticsoep-weblog van Arend & Haico]

Meer over de plastic soep:
> Meer blogs van Arend Bolt en Haico Wevers over de plastic soep
> Lees de blogs van Marcus Eriksen & Anna Cummins over de plastic soep
> Zie ook Dossier: De plastic soep