Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A Smart Garbage Classification based on Deep Learning

Researchers developed an AI-powered garbage classification system using deep learning to automatically sort waste categories. Accurate automated waste sorting could improve plastic recycling rates, reducing the amount of plastic that eventually breaks down into environmental microplastics.

2023 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

An Automatic Garbage Classification System Based on Deep Learning

Researchers developed an automated garbage classification system using a deep learning algorithm based on ResNet-34, achieving 99% classification accuracy with a processing time of under one second per item. Automated waste sorting technology like this could improve the efficiency of plastic waste recovery and reduce mismanaged plastic that eventually becomes environmental pollution.

2020 IEEE Access 123 citations
Article Tier 2

Automated Plastic Waste Detection Using Advanced Deep Learning Frameworks

Researchers developed a deep learning system using advanced neural network frameworks for automated detection and classification of plastic waste from images, achieving high accuracy in identifying multiple plastic types to support environmental monitoring and waste sorting.

2025
Article Tier 2

A Machine Arm to Assist in Trash Sorting using machine Learning and Object Detection

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper describes a robotic arm system that uses machine learning and computer vision to sort recyclable waste materials, focused on automation of waste sorting processes.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid Classification of Microplastics by Using the Application of a Convolutional Neural Network

Researchers used convolutional neural networks (deep learning) to automatically classify microplastic particles in microscopy images into four categories: fragments, pellets, films, and fibers. The models achieved high classification accuracy, reducing the time and labor needed for manual identification. Automated AI classification could greatly accelerate large-scale microplastic monitoring programs.

2023 Proceedings of the World Congress on Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Deep transfer learning benchmark for plastic waste classification

Researchers benchmarked six deep transfer learning models for classifying plastic waste types, achieving high accuracy in automated sorting that could help address plastic pollution by improving recycling efficiency.

2022 Intelligence & Robotics 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Deep-Feature-Based Approach to Marine Debris Classification

This study applied deep learning to classify marine debris from images, demonstrating that feature-based neural network approaches can effectively distinguish plastic types and other debris categories to support automated ocean monitoring.

2021 Applied Sciences 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient and accurate microplastics identification and segmentation in urban waters using convolutional neural networks

Researchers developed convolutional neural network models for efficiently identifying and segmenting microplastics in urban water samples from southern China. The study found that deep learning approaches can significantly reduce the time and labor required for microplastic identification compared to manual methods, offering a scalable tool for monitoring microplastic pollution in urban waterways.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Computer vision segmentation model—deep learning for categorizing microplastic debris

Researchers developed a deep learning computer vision model for automatically categorizing beached microplastic debris from images. The segmentation model was trained to identify and classify different types of microplastic particles, reducing the need for time-consuming manual counting and laboratory analysis. The study suggests that automated image-based detection could enable more scalable and consistent monitoring of microplastic pollution along coastlines.

2024 Frontiers in Environmental Science 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Projector deep feature extraction-based garbage image classification model using underwater images

Researchers developed a deep learning model using projector-based feature extraction to classify underwater garbage images, achieving high accuracy in identifying marine plastic debris and other waste types for automated ocean pollution monitoring.

2024 Multimedia Tools and Applications 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Proceeding the categorization of microplastics through deep learning-based image segmentation

Researchers developed a deep learning-based image segmentation method using Mask R-CNN to automatically identify and classify microplastic shapes in microscopic images, demonstrating a practical step toward standardized and automated microplastic categorization.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Depth-Wise Separable Convolution Attention Module for Garbage Image Classification

Researchers developed a depth-wise separable convolution attention module for classifying garbage images using deep learning. The study proposed an improved convolutional neural network architecture that enhances classification accuracy while reducing computational complexity. The findings suggest that automated image-based waste sorting using AI could improve efficiency over manual garbage classification methods.

2022 Sustainability 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic Waste on Water Surfaces Detection Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Researchers evaluated state-of-the-art convolutional neural network architectures for automatically detecting plastic waste on water surfaces, training models on a dataset representing four categories of plastic litter including plastic bags. The study benchmarked multiple CNN object detection models following extensive dataset preprocessing to determine the most effective approach for automated plastic pollution identification.

2024
Article Tier 2

Application of AI-Enabled Computer Vision Technology for Segregation of Industrial Plastic Wastes

Researchers developed an AI-powered computer vision system to segregate mixed industrial plastic wastes by polymer type, addressing a key barrier to effective plastic recycling. The system achieved high classification accuracy across common plastic categories, demonstrating that machine vision can improve sorting efficiency and recycled plastic quality.

2025 Apple Academic Press eBooks
Article Tier 2

Automatic classification of microplastics and natural organic matter mixtures using a deep learning model

Researchers developed a deep learning model using a convolutional neural network with spatial attention to classify microplastics mixed with natural organic matter from Raman spectra. The model achieved 99.54% accuracy compared to just 31.44% from conventional spectral library software, demonstrating that AI-based approaches can dramatically improve microplastic identification accuracy while reducing the need for time-intensive preprocessing steps.

2023 Water Research 45 citations
Article Tier 2

A Reliable and Robust Deep Learning Model for Effective Recyclable Waste Classification

Researchers developed a deep learning computer model that can sort waste into six categories, including plastic, with 95% accuracy. While this is a waste management technology rather than a health study, better automated waste sorting could help keep more plastics out of the environment where they break down into microplastics. Improved recycling through AI-powered sorting is one practical step toward reducing the microplastic pollution that eventually reaches people.

2024 IEEE Access 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Artificial Intelligence-Based Robotic Technique for Reusable Waste Materials

This paper describes an AI-based robotic arm system that uses a customized deep learning model to classify and sort waste materials including plastics and cartons by material type for automated recycling. The integrated system combines gripping, motion control, and AI-driven material classification into a full-automation architecture for waste recovery.

2022 Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Deep Learning-Based Image Recognition System for Automated Microplastic Detection and Water Pollution Monitoring

This study developed a deep learning image recognition system to automate the detection and classification of microplastics from microscopy images of water samples. The system achieved high accuracy across particle types and sizes, offering a scalable and less labor-intensive alternative to manual microscopy for large-scale water pollution monitoring.

2025 Artificial Intelligence Systems and Its Applications
Article Tier 2

Enhancing marine debris identification with convolutional neural networks

A deep learning model was developed to identify and classify marine debris components captured by underwater remotely operated vehicle imagery, addressing the challenge of widely distributed ocean waste including microplastics. The convolutional neural network demonstrated improved accuracy for debris detection and classification compared to conventional image analysis methods.

2024 Journal of Emerging Investigators 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Use of a convolutional neural network for the classification of microbeads in urban wastewater

Researchers developed a convolutional neural network model to classify and identify microbeads from cosmetic products in urban wastewater, demonstrating that deep learning approaches can provide a practical and scalable standard for automated microplastic characterization in water treatment contexts.

2018 Chemosphere 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancing Plastic Waste Classification and Recycling Efficiency: Integrating Image Sensors and Deep Learning Algorithms

Researchers developed a deep learning approach combined with image sensors to improve plastic waste classification and recycling efficiency. The study demonstrates that this method can distinguish between chemically similar plastics like PET and PET-G that conventional near-infrared spectroscopy struggles to differentiate, potentially improving automated sorting systems.

2023 Applied Sciences 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Trash in Sea Using Deep Learning

Researchers developed a deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN) model to detect and classify trash in marine and aquatic environments from underwater images, aiming to overcome the limitations of manual debris detection for objects that may be submerged or partially obscured.

2022 YMER Digital
Article Tier 2

Automatic quantification and classification of microplastics in scanning electron micrographs via deep learning

Researchers developed a deep learning system that can automatically detect and classify microplastics in scanning electron microscope images, replacing the time-consuming process of manual analysis. The system achieved high accuracy in identifying different types and shapes of microplastic particles, even very small ones that are difficult to spot by eye. This automated approach could significantly speed up microplastic monitoring and pollution assessment efforts.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 137 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Microplastics Using Machine Learning

Researchers reviewed and demonstrated machine learning approaches for detecting and classifying microplastics in environmental samples, finding that automated image analysis and spectral classification methods can improve the speed and accuracy of microplastic monitoring compared to manual methods.

2019 30 citations