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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Exploratory Work with the Classroom Community: "assessment of the Pollution of the Sventoji River" in the Citizen Science Project "plastic Pirates"
ClearFirst results of citizen science campaign, Plastic Pirates, in Latvia – microplastic pollution in rivers and streams
Researchers reported the first results of the 'Plastic Pirates - Go Europe!' citizen science campaign in Latvia, engaging schoolchildren to collect data on microplastic and litter pollution in rivers and streams. The study identified pollution types and sources in a country where such research has historically been limited, contributing to understanding of riverine pathways for plastic transport to the sea.
First results of citizen science campaign, Plastic Pirates, in Latvia – microplastic pollution in rivers and streams
Researchers presented the first results from the 'Plastic Pirates - Go Europe!' citizen science initiative in Latvia, where schoolchildren collected data on microplastic and litter pollution in rivers and streams to build knowledge on pollution sources and transport pathways in a data-poor region. The campaign identified dominant plastic types and pollution hotspots in Latvian waterways, demonstrating the value of structured citizen science for expanding monitoring coverage in countries with limited research infrastructure.
Can we investigate microplastic pollution with school students? Experiences from eight years of citizen science research
Researchers shared eight years of experience from the Plastic Pirates citizen science program involving over 24,000 school students and teachers in microplastic research across Germany, addressing challenges of contamination prevention, particle size, and sample processing in non-laboratory settings. The study evaluated the feasibility and scientific validity of engaging young citizen scientists in standardized riverine microplastic monitoring.
Can we investigate microplastic pollution with school students? Experiences from eight years of citizen science research
Researchers reported on eight years of citizen science microplastic research conducted with school students through the Plastic Pirates program, sharing methodological experiences and lessons learned from involving more than 24,000 participants across Germany and other European countries in rigorous environmental monitoring.
Exploring the abundance and characteristics of litter in Lithuanian riversides: a citizen science approach
Using citizen science litter surveys on Lithuanian riversides, researchers documented litter composition, abundance, and spatial patterns, finding plastic dominates riverbank litter and that proximity to populated areas predicts higher accumulation.
Schoolchildren discover hotspots of floating plastic litter in rivers using a large-scale collaborative approach
A large-scale citizen science project involving schoolchildren detected microplastic hotspots in rivers across multiple European countries, demonstrating that collaborative monitoring can generate spatially extensive data on riverine plastic pollution.
Students’ attitudes towards the environment and marine litter in the context of a coastal water quality educational citizen science project
Middle school students who participated in a citizen science project monitoring coastal water quality and microplastic pollution showed significantly more positive environmental attitudes afterward compared to a control group. The study suggests that hands-on engagement with real microplastic research can be an effective way to build environmental awareness in young people.
Sharing communication insights of the citizen science program Plastic Pirates—best practices from 7 years of engaging schoolchildren and teachers in plastic pollution research
The Plastic Pirates citizen science program in Germany engaged schoolchildren and teachers in monitoring plastic pollution in rivers over seven years, and this paper shares the communication strategies that made the program work at scale. Effective participant recruitment, guidance, and feedback loops enabled the program to generate peer-reviewed scientific data while building environmental literacy. The lessons offer a replicable model for using citizen science to expand microplastic monitoring coverage beyond what professional researchers can achieve alone.
Have You Ever Seen a Microplastic? A Collaborative High School–Academia Approach for Identification, Quantification and Raising Awareness of Microplastics in a River Crossing Urban Area
Researchers designed a high school–university collaboration where students collected water samples from an urban river, identified microplastics by microscopy, and contributed to local pollution mapping — demonstrating that student-led citizen science can meaningfully advance microplastic monitoring while raising environmental awareness.
Citizen_Labs – conception and evaluation of a course on plastic waste and microplastic in adult education
Researchers conceived and evaluated a citizen science laboratory course on plastic waste and microplastics for adult education, examining how experiential learning formats can raise environmental awareness and scientific literacy about plastic pollution among non-specialist participants.
Comparison of the macro-, meso- and microplastic pollution in French riverbanks and beaches using citizen science with schoolchildren
Researchers conducted a citizen science initiative with French schoolchildren to compare macro-, meso-, and microplastic pollution across 86 riverbank and beach sites, finding that riverbanks accumulated distinct plastic assemblages compared to beaches. The study demonstrated that schoolchildren can generate reliable comparative litter data, and highlighted rivers as underrepresented yet critical plastic transport pathways to the ocean.
Desenvolvimento da literacia química de alunos do ensino básico
A Portuguese citizen-science project engaged over 500 middle-school students in testing coastal water quality and learning about microplastic pollution through hands-on chemistry investigations. The program significantly improved students' attitudes toward chemistry and their conceptual understanding of water parameters and polymers compared to a control group, demonstrating that microplastic science can be an effective hook for building broader scientific literacy in young people.
Schools against plastics: Schooling environmentally conscious students and supporting research on marine litter and microplastics
A citizen science initiative engaged Greek students in monitoring plastic pollution on two coastal beaches, finding macrolitter densities of 0.6 to 5.9 items per square meter and microplastic concentrations of 4.6 to 102.5 particles per kilogram of sand. Single-use plastics, especially bottle caps and cigarette butts, made up over 25% of collected items, and microplastics were also found inside sea urchins at both sites. The project demonstrates that student participation can generate scientifically valuable pollution data while building environmental awareness.
Students’ Attitudes Towards Science: the Contribution of a Citizen Science Project for Monitoring Coastal Water Quality and (micro)plastics
This study found that middle school students participating in a citizen science project monitoring coastal water quality and microplastic pollution showed improved attitudes toward science, particularly in critical thinking and perceived scientific self-efficacy. Hands-on engagement with real environmental monitoring activities can effectively improve science literacy and positive attitudes toward environmental issues in young people.
Communication strategies in an international school citizen science program investigating marine litter
This case study describes the communication strategy of the international Litter Scientists citizen science program, which trains schoolchildren in Chile and eleven other countries to survey plastic litter on beaches and in rivers. Engaging students in real microplastic and marine litter monitoring simultaneously builds scientific literacy and generates valuable environmental data across regions that are otherwise under-sampled.
Monitoring Microplastics in Surface Water—A Pacing Guide for Grades 5–12
This educational guide introduces a citizen science protocol for middle and high school students to monitor microplastics in surface water. Engaging students in real data collection builds environmental literacy and contributes to broader community-level microplastic monitoring efforts.
Paddle surfing for science on microplastic pollution: a successful citizen science initiative
Researchers used paddle surfers as citizen scientists to collect microplastic samples from near-shore coastal waters in the Mediterranean Sea, filling a gap in data from areas close to the coastline. The study demonstrates how citizen science can expand microplastic monitoring to locations that are difficult to access with conventional research vessels.
Comparison of macrolitter and meso- and microplastic pollution on French riverbanks and coastal beaches using citizen science with schoolchildren
A citizen science project with 3,113 French schoolchildren sampled 81 riverbanks and 66 coastal beaches, collecting 55,986 plastic pieces, and found that riverbanks had comparable plastic pollution levels to beaches, highlighting rivers as underrecognized plastic accumulation zones.
Citizen observation of plastic pollution in coastal ecosystems to address data gaps in marine litter distribution
Researchers launched the COLLECT citizen science project in seven African and Asian countries, training 15-18 year-old students to sample and analyze macro-, meso-, and microplastics in beach sediments using standardized scientific protocols, while simultaneously measuring shifts in ocean literacy and pro-environmental behavior to quantify the educational impact of the intervention.
A watershed-scale, citizen science approach to quantifying microplastic concentration in a mixed land-use river
Trained citizen scientists collected water samples at 72 sites across the Gallatin River watershed in Montana and found microplastics at all locations, with higher concentrations in areas downstream of urban land use. The study demonstrates that citizen science can effectively generate watershed-scale microplastic data while also linking plastic pollution to land use patterns.
Making citizen science count: Best practices and challenges of citizen science projects on plastics in aquatic environments
This paper reviews best practices and challenges for citizen science projects focused on plastic pollution in aquatic environments, finding that while citizen science can effectively gather large-scale data and raise public awareness, data quality and consistency remain significant challenges.
The potential for freshwater citizen science to engage and empower: a case study of the Rivers Trusts, United Kingdom
Researchers examined freshwater citizen science programs run by UK Rivers Trusts, finding that volunteer monitoring of water quality, plastic pollution, and invasive species effectively engaged communities and in some cases led directly to pollution source remediation.
Testing citizen science as a tool for monitoring surface water microplastics
Researchers tested citizen science as a monitoring method for surface water microplastics in the Baltic Sea using a custom manta trawl aboard a sailing vessel, sampling at seven locations and finding microplastic concentrations from 0.45 to 1.98 MP/m², and evaluated the viability of integrating citizen science into large-scale MP monitoring programs.
Student participation in a coastal water quality citizen science project and its contribution to the conceptual and procedural learning of chemistry
Researchers developed a citizen science project involving students in monitoring coastal water quality parameters and detecting microplastics, finding that participation improved both conceptual understanding of chemistry and procedural laboratory skills. The study demonstrates the value of citizen science as a formal chemistry learning tool at the secondary level.