Assessing the Settling Velocity of Biofilm-Encrusted Microplastics: Accounting for Biofilms as an Equivalent to Surface Roughness

While it is well established that a biofilm contributes to the sinking of plastics, the underlying mechanisms of how it influences the vertical transport of plastics have not been well explained. In this context, our study dives into the intricate effects of biofouling on the settling velocity (