We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Mapping of marine litter on the seafloor using WASSP S3 multibeam echo sounder and Chasing M2 ROV
ClearHow 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.
Use of ROV for assessing marine litter on the seafloor of Saronikos Gulf (Greece): a way to fill data gaps and deliver environmental education
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.
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.
Towards Underwater Macroplastic Monitoring Using Echo Sounding
Researchers investigated using echo sounding (sonar) technology to detect and monitor underwater macroplastics in rivers and coastal environments, presenting this acoustic approach as a promising tool for measuring submerged plastic loads that surface trawling misses.
The quest for seafloor macrolitter: a critical review of background knowledge, current methods and future prospects
This critical review examined knowledge, current practices, and challenges in studying macrolitter on the seafloor, the least-investigated sink for marine debris. The seafloor covers 70% of Earth's surface and receives substantial plastic input, yet most of it lies in the deep sea where monitoring is technically difficult and expensive.
Monitoring macro-litter and microplastics in the Venice coastal area (Italy): evaluation of their distribution and potential sources
Researchers combined acoustic remote sensing to locate macro-litter on the seafloor and in the water column with microplastic sampling to evaluate marine litter contamination in the Venice coastal area of Italy. The integrated approach assessed distribution patterns, potential pollution sources, and the relationship between macro-litter and microplastic generation in a high-traffic coastal zone.
A Review of Recent Advances in Microplastic Research and ROVs to Aid the Development of an Integrated Solution for Microplastic Pollution
This review examines recent advances in microplastic detection and filtration research alongside remotely operated vehicle (ROV) technology, with the goal of developing integrated solutions for microplastic pollution in aquatic environments. Researchers found that combining advanced detection methods with underwater robotic platforms offers a promising pathway for real-world microplastic monitoring and removal, particularly in deep or inaccessible marine and freshwater systems.
Marine Litter Distribution and Density in European Seas, from the Shelves to Deep Basins
Researchers mapped marine litter distribution and density across European seas — from shallow shelves to deep basins — finding litter present at all depths and in all regions surveyed, with deep-sea areas accumulating significant loads.
Cleaning up the world’s oceans with underwater laser imaging
Researchers proposed using underwater LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology to detect and map submerged plastic debris in the oceans, arguing this approach offers higher resolution and greater safety for marine life compared to sonar, and could enable targeted cleanup of the estimated 70% of ocean plastic that lies below the surface.
Unmanned Vehicles System Utilizing Waste Tracking Data to Tackle Plastic Marine Littering on Tourist Islands
This paper proposes using unmanned vehicles guided by waste tracking data to collect plastic marine litter around tourist islands. Autonomous cleanup technology could help remove plastic debris before it breaks down into microplastics and enters the food chain.
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.
UAV Approach for Detecting Plastic Marine Debris on the Beach: A Case Study in the Po River Delta (Italy)
UAV imaging was used to detect and map anthropogenic marine debris on beaches in the Po River Delta, Italy, testing different image processing strategies and demonstrating that centimeter-scale spatial resolution UAV surveys can efficiently locate macroplastics before they degrade into harder-to-remove microplastics.
Exploring the Potential of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for Microplastic Detection in Marine Environments: A Systematic Review
This systematic review explores how autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) could be used to detect microplastics in the ocean in real time, replacing slower traditional sampling methods. While promising, the technology is still developing and faces challenges with sensor accuracy and deep-water operation. Better detection tools like these could help scientists understand how widespread microplastic contamination really is in marine environments.
“WAVECLEAN” – An Innovation in Autonomous Vessel Driving Using Object Tracking and Collection of Floating Debris
Researchers designed an autonomous vessel called WAVECLEAN that uses object-tracking technology to identify and collect floating marine debris, including plastics. The system combines camera-based detection with machine learning to navigate waterways and gather waste without human operation. The study demonstrates a technology-driven approach to addressing plastic pollution in harbors, rivers, and coastal areas.
Towards microplastic hotspots detection: A comparative analysis of in-situ sampling and sea surface currents derived by HF radars
Researchers compared in-situ microplastic sampling data with sea surface current measurements from high-frequency radar in the Sicily Channel to develop better methods for detecting plastic pollution hotspots. They found a strong inverse correlation between microplastic fragment occurrence and total kinetic energy, suggesting that areas of low water movement accumulate more debris. The approach could help identify high-accumulation zones, particularly at the centers of eddies, without resource-intensive field sampling.
Development of Garbage Collecting Robot for Marine Microplastics
This paper describes the design of a robot intended to collect microplastics from beaches, addressing the practical challenge that hand collection of scattered, tiny plastic particles is impractical at scale. Laboratory experiments characterized how sand behaves under the robot's excavation mechanism, providing engineering data for building autonomous marine microplastic cleanup devices.
Impacts of Bottom Trawling and Litter on the Seabed in Norwegian Waters
This study assessed the extent of bottom trawling and seafloor litter in Norwegian waters, finding that trawling affects large areas and that plastic litter is widespread on the seabed. Seafloor debris in the Arctic underscores the global reach of plastic pollution, even in heavily regulated, remote fishing areas.
Beach Cleaning Robots a Comprehensive Survey of Technologies Challenges, and Future Directions
This paper is not relevant to microplastics; it is a survey of robotic technologies and methodologies for automated beach cleaning and litter removal.
Detection and Recognition of Ocean Garbage Using DIY ROV-Mounted DNN-Based Classification of Laser Images
Researchers designed a low-cost DIY underwater robot equipped with a laser imaging system and deep learning classifier to detect and categorize underwater garbage from microplastics to large debris. A custom-trained convolutional neural network achieved 91% classification accuracy, outperforming transfer learning approaches.
Monitoring of seafloor litter on the Dutch Continental Shelf : International Bottom Trawl Survey 2023, Dutch Beam Trawl Survey 2022
Researchers monitored seafloor litter on the Dutch Continental Shelf using the International Bottom Trawl Survey and Beam Trawl Survey, documenting the abundance, composition, and distribution of macro litter as part of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive monitoring program.
Improvement and Empirical Testing of a Novel Autonomous Microplastics-Collecting Semisubmersible
Researchers improved an autonomous microplastic-collecting robot, testing design modifications that enhanced sampling efficiency and navigation in surface water environments, moving toward practical automated monitoring of plastic pollution.
What, where, and when: Spatial-temporal distribution of macro-litter on the seafloor of the western and central Mediterranean sea
Using fishery-independent monitoring data from the western Mediterranean, this study characterized the spatial and temporal distribution of macro-litter on the seafloor, identifying accumulation hotspots to guide marine litter management efforts.
Development of Garbage Collecting Robot for Marine Microplastics
Researchers designed and developed an autonomous cleaning robot for collecting marine microplastics scattered on beaches, using a conveyor belt and tray system to mechanically gather and retain small plastic particles. The study addresses the practical difficulty of manually collecting dispersed microplastics and demonstrates the robot's configuration and operational concept for beach remediation.
Presence and characteristics of plastics and microplastics on the seabed of the western English Channel
Researchers characterised plastic litter and microplastics trawled from the seafloor of the western English Channel using optical and spectroscopic techniques, classifying 90 plastic samples dominated by food and drink packaging with evidence of varying degrees of weathering and calcareous biofouling. The study addresses significant knowledge gaps about the presence, distribution, origins, and characteristics of plastic debris on the ocean floor, finding negative-buoyancy polymers such as polyamide and PET predominating among the seafloor plastics.