Papers

61,005 results
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Systematic Review Tier 1

A review of remote sensing technology for plastic waste monitoring

This systematic review evaluates how remote sensing technologies like satellites and drones can detect and monitor plastic waste in the environment. Better monitoring of plastic pollution helps track how plastics break down into microplastics that can eventually enter our food and water, making this technology important for protecting human health.

2026 Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Article Tier 2

Detection and Monitoring of Marine Pollution Using Remote Sensing Technologies

This review examined satellite remote sensing technologies for detecting and monitoring marine pollution including oil spills, HABs, plastic debris, and sediment plumes, covering different sensor types and their capabilities. The authors identify current limitations of resolution and revisit frequency as key barriers to routine remote monitoring of microplastic pollution.

2019 IntechOpen eBooks 85 citations
Article Tier 2

Satellite sensors as an emerging technique for monitoring macro- and microplastics in aquatic ecosystems

This review assessed the emerging use of satellite remote sensing technologies for monitoring macro- and microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems, evaluating current capabilities and limitations of different satellite sensors for detecting waterborne plastic debris.

2022 Water Emerging Contaminants & Nanoplastics 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Strategies for Monitoring and Reducing Microplastic Pollution in Oceans

This review examined the sources, distribution, and ecological health impacts of marine microplastic pollution over the past five years, and discussed monitoring technologies and governance strategies needed to reduce microplastic contamination in ocean environments.

2025 International Journal of Marine Science
Article Tier 2

On advances, challenges and potentials of remote sensing image analysis in marine debris and suspected plastics monitoring

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.

2023 Frontiers in Remote Sensing 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of marine litter through remote sensing: recent approaches and future goals

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.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Earth Observations for Monitoring Marine Coastal Hazards and Their Drivers

Researchers reviewed the use of Earth observation technologies for monitoring coastal hazards including pollution, sea-level changes, and extreme weather events. The study highlights how satellite-based monitoring and forecasting systems are increasingly important for managing risks to densely populated coastal zones, including emerging threats from marine pollution such as microplastics.

2020 Surveys in Geophysics 202 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in marine environments: An in-depth analysis of advanced monitoring techniques, removal technologies, and future challenges

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of microplastic pollution in marine environments, covering sources, ecological impacts, and current monitoring and removal technologies. Researchers examined physical, chemical, and biological methods for microplastic detection and cleanup, including filtration, separation, and hybrid approaches. The study concludes that while progress has been made, significant gaps remain in our ability to effectively monitor and remove microplastics from ocean ecosystems.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Current Progress on Marine Microplastics Pollution Research: A Review on Pollution Occurrence, Detection, and Environmental Effects

This review summarized current knowledge on marine microplastic pollution, covering detection methods, occurrence across ocean zones and organism types, and environmental effects, while identifying key research gaps around long-term ecological impacts and standardized monitoring protocols.

2021 Water 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Air Pollution and Sea Pollution Seen from Space

Researchers reviewed how satellite-based sensors have transformed our understanding of air and ocean pollution, enabling global monitoring of phenomena from smog to marine plastic debris. The paper highlights how improved mapping of small-scale ocean eddies is providing new insights into how pollutants spread and concentrate across the world's seas.

2020 Surveys in Geophysics 30 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of remote sensing in coastal aquaculture: data, geographic hotspots, methods, and challenges

A review of remote sensing applications in coastal aquaculture examined available data sources, geographic coverage, and analytical methods for monitoring aquaculture zones. This is relevant to microplastic research because aquaculture operations are both exposed to and potential sources of microplastic contamination in coastal waters.

2025 GIScience & Remote Sensing 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Global insights into microplastic contamination in marine life: detection methods and current status

This review provides a global overview of microplastic contamination in marine organisms, covering how these particles are ingested, accumulate through food chains, and affect marine life. Researchers summarize detection methods including spectroscopic and thermal analysis techniques, evaluating their strengths and limitations. The study emphasizes that while significant progress has been made, major challenges remain in detecting nanoplastics, standardizing methods, and understanding long-term health effects for both marine life and seafood consumers.

2025 The Analyst 3 citations
Article Tier 2

AI for Monitoring Ocean Plastic Pollution

This review assessed how artificial intelligence technologies—including satellite image analysis, computer vision, and machine learning—are being applied to monitor ocean plastic pollution. The authors found AI can dramatically expand spatial coverage and detection speed compared to traditional ship-based surveys, though ground-truth validation and data standardization remain challenges.

2025 International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology
Article Tier 2

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for Ocean: A Review

This review covers how Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite systems are used to monitor ocean conditions, including waves, currents, oil spills, and sea ice. While not directly about microplastics, SAR technology is increasingly being explored as a tool for detecting large-scale plastic pollution in the ocean. The remote sensing methods described could eventually contribute to tracking and mapping microplastic contamination across vast ocean areas.

2023 IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Digital Oceans: Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and Sensor Technologies for Marine Monitoring and Climate Resilience

This book-length review examines how artificial intelligence, Internet of Things sensors, and advanced marine technologies are being used to monitor ocean health in real time, including tracking pollutants like microplastics. The authors survey emerging tools for marine environmental monitoring, from autonomous underwater vehicles to satellite-based detection systems. The work highlights how digital technologies could transform our ability to detect and respond to ocean pollution threats.

2025 8 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of remote sensing in coastal aquaculture: data, geographic hotspots, methods, and challenges

This review synthesises remote sensing methods for monitoring coastal aquaculture, covering satellite and aerial data sources, identifying geographic hotspots of aquaculture expansion, and evaluating current and emerging techniques for assessing environmental impacts such as plastic debris from nets, cages, and buoys.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

A Review of the Tools Used for Marine Monitoring in the UK: Combining Historic and Contemporary Methods with Modeling and Socioeconomics to Fulfill Legislative Needs and Scientific Ambitions

This review assessed marine monitoring tools used in the UK, combining historical monitoring approaches with new microplastic detection methods to identify gaps and recommend improvements for tracking marine plastic pollution over time.

2017 Frontiers in Marine Science 91 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of remote sensing in coastal aquaculture: data, geographic hotspots, methods, and challenges

This review examines remote sensing applications in coastal aquaculture, synthesising data sources, geographic hotspots, and methodological advances that allow satellite and aerial imagery to monitor aquaculture facility extent, water quality, and environmental impacts including plastic debris from aquaculture infrastructure.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Hazards and Improvement Measures of Microplastic Pollution: A Review

This review summarized the hazards of marine microplastic pollution and current removal technologies, and called for stronger international policy and cooperation. It highlighted that microplastics carry toxic chemicals and affect marine food webs, ultimately threatening seafood safety for humans.

2021 E3S Web of Conferences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancing floating macroplastic detection from space using hyperspectral imagery

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.

2021 5 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Exploring the Potential of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for Microplastic Detection in Marine Environments: A Review

This review explores how autonomous underwater vehicles equipped with sensors could detect microplastics directly in the ocean, rather than relying on labor-intensive water sampling. Current detection methods are slow and expensive, making real-time monitoring difficult. Advances in onboard sensing technology could dramatically improve our understanding of where microplastics concentrate in marine environments.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Unravelling the Waves: Navigating Microplastics Pollution in the Marine Realm and Crafting Remedial Solutions

This review provides a comprehensive overview of microplastic pollution in marine environments, covering prevalence, persistence, ecological impacts, and remediation solutions. The authors assess current mitigation approaches and highlight the need for integrated policy, improved monitoring, and technological innovation to address the growing threat to ocean health.

2024 ACS symposium series
Article Tier 2

Marine monitoring in Europe: is it adequate to address environmental threats and pressures?

A review of European coastal monitoring programs found significant gaps in detecting and tracking environmental threats, including microplastic pollution. The study calls for better integration of monitoring networks to provide the data needed for effective ocean management and pollution control.

2020 Ocean science 32 citations
Article Tier 2

A Global Perspective on Microplastic Occurrence in Sediments and Water with a Special Focus on Sources, Analytical Techniques, Health Risks, and Remediation Technologies

This global review covers microplastic sources, distribution in water and sediment, analytical detection methods, health risks, and cleanup technologies. The authors highlight that microplastics absorb toxic chemicals from their surroundings and can transfer those pollutants to organisms that ingest them. The review calls for standardized detection methods and more research on the long-term health effects of microplastic exposure in humans.

2023 Water 36 citations