We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Use of ROV for assessing marine litter on the seafloor of Saronikos Gulf (Greece): a way to fill data gaps and deliver environmental education
Summary
Researchers used a remotely operated underwater vehicle to survey marine litter on the seafloor of the Saronikos Gulf in Greece, finding that plastics and metals dominated the debris they recorded. The study also involved schoolchildren in the research cruise as part of an environmental education initiative within the PERSEUS project.
A visual census of marine litter on the seafloor of the Saronikos Gulf (Greece) is presented in the current work. The abundance and qualitative composition of benthic marine litter were investigated in two selected locations of the Saronikos Gulf with a Remote Operated Vehicle, where other sampling strategies couldn't be implemented. The assessment of marine litter was combined with environmental education within the PERSEUS (FP7) Research Project, in a novel 2-day research cruise where schoolchildren actively participated. Two transects of total length 2.36 km were carried out. A relevant marine litter protocol was developed where marine litter was categorized into six different categories according to their material type and where possible, the source of the items was identified. Plastics (55 %) and metals (36 %) had the biggest share among the recorded marine litter items. Marine litter proved to be an ideal theme in order to enhance the environmental awareness of schoolchildren.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Mapping of marine litter on the seafloor using WASSP S3 multibeam echo sounder and Chasing M2 ROV
Researchers tested multibeam sonar and a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to map marine litter on the seafloor of a Croatian channel, finding the ROV effective for shallow-water debris detection but limited without proper navigation aids. This work advances techniques for locating plastic debris hotspots on the seabed, which is important because seafloor litter — including microplastic precursors — is largely invisible and understudied.
How to Deal With Seafloor Marine Litter: An Overview of the State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives
This review examined the state of the art for detecting and removing marine litter from the seafloor, finding that while surface and beach litter has received substantial attention, seafloor litter remains understudied and that emerging technologies including underwater robotics offer promising future cleanup pathways.
A comparative study of marine litter on the seafloor of coastal areas in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas
Researchers surveyed seafloor litter density and composition across five sites in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas, finding plastic dominated in all areas (45–95% of items) with densities ranging from 24 to 1,211 items per square kilometer, and the Saronikos Gulf near Athens showing the heaviest contamination linked to local human activity and oceanographic conditions.
Exploring the sea environment of the Gulf of Patras
Researchers conducted an educational project with secondary school students to study microplastic pollution in the Gulf of Patras, Greece, collecting seawater samples from shore, offshore, and river-mouth locations to document contamination patterns as part of an EU Erasmus environmental awareness program.
Monitoring macro-litter and microplastics in the Venice coastal area (Italy): evaluation of their distribution and potential sources
Researchers evaluated marine litter contamination in the Venice coastal area using acoustic remote sensing for seafloor macro-litter mapping combined with microplastic concentration measurements across water, sediment, and mussel tissue matrices to assess distribution patterns and potential pollution sources.