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On advances, challenges and potentials of remote sensing image analysis in marine debris and suspected plastics monitoring
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This review evaluates the current state of satellite and aerial remote sensing for detecting marine plastic debris, noting that while progress has been made using optical and hyperspectral imaging, significant challenges remain including low detection resolution for small particles, confusion with other floating materials, and the need for better machine learning algorithms. The paper is relevant to the microplastics field as large-scale monitoring tools are needed to track plastic pollution distribution and inform cleanup and policy efforts, though direct detection of microplastics (<5 mm) from orbit remains largely out of reach with current technology.
Marine plastic pollution is an emerging environmental problem since it pollutes the ocean, air and food whilst endangering the ocean wildlife via the ingestion and entanglements. During the last decade, an enormous effort has been spent on finding possible solutions to marine plastic pollution. Remote sensing imagery sits in a crucial place for these efforts since it provides informative earth observation products, and the current technology offers further essential development. Despite the advances in the last decade, there is still a way to go for marine plastic monitoring research where challenges are rarely highlighted. This paper contributes to the literature with a critical review and aims to highlight literature milestones in marine debris and suspected plastics (MD&SP) monitoring by promoting the computational imaging methodology behind these approaches along with detailed discussions on challenges and potential future research directions.
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Researchers evaluated the use of hyperspectral satellite and airborne imagery to detect floating plastic debris in rivers and oceans, addressing major challenges related to plastic spectral properties in field conditions. Remote sensing tools for plastic detection are important for large-scale monitoring of the macro-scale plastic that eventually becomes microplastics.
Detection of exogenous floating marine debris: an overview of techniques associated with remote sensing
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This review surveyed remote sensing techniques for detecting floating marine debris including plastic litter, identifying current capabilities, limitations, and research gaps. The paper calls for development of a spectral reference library for marine debris to improve detection accuracy from satellite and aerial platforms.
Advances and challenges in plastic detection: a critical review of studies employing hyperspectral data
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This review pulls together nearly a decade of research on using satellites, drones, and special cameras to spot plastic pollution from above by detecting its unique light signature. The technology works better for common plastics like plastic bags and bottle caps, but struggles with clear plastics or those that are wet, weathered, or mixed with other debris—meaning our current tools may be undercounting how much plastic pollution is actually out there, including the waste that eventually breaks down into microplastics in our water and food supply. Better detection methods could eventually help track and clean up plastic pollution before it fully breaks down into the tiny particles now being found in human blood,
Assessment of marine litter through remote sensing: recent approaches and future goals
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This review classified remote sensing approaches for detecting marine litter — including satellite, aircraft, and drone platforms with optical, infrared, and radar sensors — finding that few studies had reached operational status and that detecting small or submerged litter remains a major technical challenge.
Detection and Dynamic Imaging of Ocean Microplastics from Space
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Researchers developed a remote sensing approach using satellite imagery to detect and dynamically image ocean microplastic concentrations, offering broader spatial coverage than traditional net trawling methods. This study demonstrates that optical signatures of floating plastic patches can be identified from space under certain sea and lighting conditions.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.