Merel Kooi

Dr. Merel Kooi is an academic at Wageningen University & Research within the Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management department. Her research focuses on microplastic dynamics, transport mechanisms, and environmental impacts. She has contributed to over 30 publications and actively supervises multiple PhD projects on topics like biofouling effects on microplastic transport and probabilistic exposure modeling.

• Education: Completed her PhD (2016-2022) on exposure and risk assessment of microplastics.

Research interests include microplastic settling velocities, aquatic ecosystem impacts, and interdisciplinary approaches combining sedimentology with environmental engineering. Her work spans particle behavior modeling, 3D analysis, and phase diagrams for transport prediction. She collaborates internationally on projects such as the Plastic Pathfinder model and the Trash Tracker for macroplastic fate assessment.

Notable contributions include datasets on plastic depth profiles and biofouling effects. She participates in conferences and media engagements like the 3rd International Conference on Microplastic Pollution.