Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Australian Journal of Environmental Education 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine litter education: From awareness to action

An educational intervention on marine litter designed for students from primary to high school level, incorporating lab work and a beach clean-up, significantly changed participants knowledge, perceptions, and behavioral intentions as measured by pre- and post-questionnaires.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Detecting, sensibilization and measuring microplastics in the environment: a guidebook of practical activities for primary and secondary schools

Researchers developed a practical guidebook for primary and secondary school students to detect, measure, and understand microplastic pollution using table salt as a simple, accessible study matrix. The activities integrate scientific, technological, chemical, and geological concepts while addressing four UN Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to raise environmental awareness about microplastics in the educational system.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Modeling the Global Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans

Students built a mathematical model to estimate global plastic waste generation and ocean runoff from 1980 to 2015 using publicly available data. The model forecasts continued growth in ocean plastic accumulation, underscoring the need for systemic changes in plastic production and waste management to prevent further marine contamination.

2020 Journal of international women's studies 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Addressing data gaps in marine litter distribution: Citizen science observation of plastics in coastal ecosystems by high-school students

The COLLECT citizen science project (2021-2022) trained high school students in seven African and Asian countries to sample and analyze macro-, meso-, and microplastics on beaches, generating open-access baseline data on coastal plastic pollution in regions with previously limited monitoring coverage.

2023 Frontiers in Marine Science 23 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

How Marine Plastic Pollution Education Develops Secondary School Students’ Sustainability Competences

Researchers investigated how marine plastic pollution education affects Norwegian secondary school students' sustainability competences, knowledge, and attitudes toward biodiversity protection using pre- and post-test questionnaires with 50 students. Results showed that structured marine plastic pollution curricula can improve students' understanding of ecosystem impacts and motivate protective behaviors.

2025 Environmental sciences
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Students' Sustainability Awareness of the Environment

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it assesses the environmental sustainability awareness of high school students in West Java, Indonesia, using a descriptive quantitative educational research approach.

2023 Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA 9 citations
Article Tier 2

An Ocean of Science: an educational laboratory approach for the protection and preservation of the marine environment

An educational project called 'An Ocean of Science' developed laboratory activities for schoolchildren to learn about marine pollution, including microplastics, through hands-on scientific investigations. The program aimed to build scientific literacy and environmental awareness among students in multiple countries.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Edukasi Dampak Sampah Plastik Terhadap Lingkungan Laut Bagi Siswa Sekolah Dasar Negeri 6 Meulaboh Aceh Barat

This Indonesian-language paper describes an educational program that taught elementary school students about the impacts of plastic waste on the marine environment. The program aimed to build environmental awareness and responsible waste behaviors in young people. Early environmental education about plastic pollution is important for reducing future plastic waste generation.

2021 Marine Kreatif
Article Tier 2

The contributions of citizen science to SDG monitoring and reporting on marine plastics

This study demonstrated how citizen science data from Ghana was used to contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal monitoring related to marine plastic litter, providing the first evidence of citizen science data being formally applied to SDG reporting on ocean plastics. The findings suggest citizen science could become a scalable data source for tracking marine plastic pollution globally.

2023 Sustainability Science 28 citations
Article Tier 2

A nationwide assessment of plastic pollution in the Danish realm using citizen science

Researchers conducted a nationwide citizen science assessment of plastic pollution across Denmark, Greenland, and the Faeroe Islands, with approximately 57,000 school students collecting 374,082 plastic items across eight nature types in 94 of 98 Danish municipalities. The study demonstrated that student-led citizen science can fill important knowledge gaps in land-based plastic litter monitoring beyond beach surveys.

2020 Scientific Reports 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Inviting Environmental Awareness Through Small, Sustainable Acts: Medical Students Impacting the Community

Medical students in a developing country initiated small environmental awareness projects in underserved communities, including waste management education. The paper documents how grassroots community engagement by students can drive local behavior change around plastic pollution.

2023 International Journal of Medical Students 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Knowledge of ecological concepts, environmental concern, and ecological behavior: A multiple correlation analysis

This education study examined the relationship between ecological knowledge, environmental concern, and pro-environmental behavior in students. Environmental education that increases knowledge about plastic pollution and microplastics is associated with greater concern and more sustainable behaviors.

2023 JPBI (Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi Indonesia) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Saving the Ocean from Devastating Pollution

This student project examines the current state of ocean pollution, focusing on NOAA initiatives, sources of marine contamination, and potential solutions to plastic and other pollutant inputs into ocean ecosystems.

2025 ScholarSphere (Penn State Libraries)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Outreach Program: A Systems-Thinking Approach To Teach High School Students about the Chemistry and Impacts of Plastics

An outreach program for high school students used a systems-thinking approach to teach the chemistry of plastics, microplastic pollution, and environmental impacts. Student participants showed improved understanding of how plastic production and disposal connect to ocean ecology and human health.

2019 Journal of Chemical Education 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Edukasi Bahaya Sampah Plastik pada Perairan dan Biota Laut di Sekolah Alam, Pantai Bajulmati, Kabupaten Malang, Jawa Timur

This paper describes an environmental education project at a nature school in East Java, Indonesia, focused on teaching children about the dangers of plastic waste in marine environments. Public education is considered an important strategy for building long-term behavior change around plastic use and disposal.

2022 Abdi Geomedisains 7 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Curriculum development for student agency on sustainability issues: An exploratory study

Researchers developed an exploratory middle-school sustainability curriculum designed to foster student agency by challenging students to analyze real-world data, construct scientific arguments, and engage in activism around sustainability issues framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

2022 Frontiers in Education 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Designing Educational Game to Increase Environmental Awareness

Researchers designed an educational video game to raise environmental awareness about plastic waste and ocean pollution in Indonesian students. The game showed measurable improvements in environmental knowledge and pro-environmental attitudes among players.

2021 International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET) 21 citations
Article Tier 2

What Kind Of World Do I Want To Live In?

Researchers document student participation in marine conservation service-learning activities including microplastics research, mangrove planting, and oyster reef census work in the Indian River Lagoon, examining how community engagement shapes perspectives on the kind of world students wish to inhabit.

2025 Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research
Article Tier 2

Edukasi Bahaya Sampah Plastik Terhadap Ekosistem Perairan Pada Siswa Kelas I Min 32 Kecamatan Mesjid Raya Kabupaten Aceh Besar

This Indonesian paper describes educational outreach to elementary school students about the dangers of plastic waste to coastal and aquatic ecosystems. Educating children about microplastics and plastic pollution is an important long-term strategy for changing behavior to reduce environmental contamination.

2023 Al Ghafur Jurnal Ilmiah Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat
Article Tier 2

Exploring how citizen science projects measuring beach plastic debris can support UN Sustainable Development Goals

This study examines how citizen science beach plastic debris monitoring projects could help countries report progress on UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water), identifying key opportunities and challenges in translating volunteer-collected data into official SDG indicators.

2023 Citizen Science Theory and Practice 14 citations