title: A-DROP: A predictive model for the formation of oil particle aggregates (OPAs).
abstract: Oil-particle interactions play a major role in removal of free oil from the water column. We present a new conceptual-numerical model, A-DROP, to predict oil amount trapped in oil-particle aggregates. A new conceptual formulation of oil-particle coagulation efficiency is introduced to account for the effects of oil stabilization by particles, particle hydrophobicity, and oil-particle size ratio on OPA formation. A-DROP was able to closely reproduce the oil trapping efficiency reported in experimental studies. The model was then used to simulate the OPA formation in a typical nearshore environment. Modeling results indicate that the increase of particle concentration in the swash zone would speed up the oil-particle interaction process; but the oil amount trapped in OPAs did not correspond to the increase of particle concentration. The developed A-DROP model could become an important tool in understanding the natural removal of oil and developing oil spill countermeasures by means of oil-particle aggregation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Natural Resources Development and Protection, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Center for Natural Resources Development and Protection, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA. Electronic address: boufadel@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michel C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Boufadel
authors.affiliation: Center for Natural Resources Development and Protection, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaolong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: Flagship of Wealth from Oceans, Commonwealth Scientific and Industry Research Organization (CSIRO), Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth, Canada.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: USGS WI Water Science Center, Middleton, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Faith
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
mesh_terms: D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010316:Particle Size; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Nearshore environment; OPA formation; Oil spill; Oil trapping rate; Oil–particle aggregation