Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the rough: using data augmentation to identify plastics contaminated by water and plant matter

This study developed machine learning approaches using data augmentation to improve the identification of microplastics in "real world" samples where particles are contaminated by water droplets, soil, or plant material. Accurately classifying weathered and dirty microplastics from spectral images is a practical challenge that limits field research, and the techniques developed here improve detection accuracy. Better identification tools are a necessary step toward reliable monitoring of microplastic pollution across diverse environments.

2025 RSC Sustainability 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancing Waste Management with a Deep Learning-based Automatic Garbage Classifier

This paper is not about microplastics; it presents a deep learning convolutional neural network system for automatically classifying garbage by material type to improve waste sorting efficiency and reduce the labor burden of manual waste management.

2023 International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science 1 citations
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

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

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

Litter segmentation with LOTS dataset

Not a microplastics paper — this computer science paper presents a machine learning benchmark for detecting and segmenting beach litter (including plastic debris) in sand using deep learning image segmentation models, contributing tools that could help automate coastal pollution monitoring.

2023
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

Targeting Plastics: Machine Learning Applied to Litter Detection in Aerial Multispectral Images

Researchers applied machine learning to aerial multispectral images for automated detection of plastic litter in natural areas, demonstrating that combining spectral data with classification algorithms can effectively identify and monitor plastic waste pollution.

2022 Remote Sensing 25 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

A Mobile Application to Assist in Reporting and Cleaning Spots of Ocean Litters using Machine Learning

Researchers developed a mobile application that uses machine learning to help users report and locate ocean litter, aiming to improve community-driven cleanup efforts and generate spatial data on marine plastic pollution.

2024
Article Tier 2

Autonomous detection and sorting of litter using deep learning and soft robotic grippers

Researchers developed LitterBot, an autonomous robotic system that uses deep learning-based object detection and segmentation to identify, localize, and classify common roadside litter, and pairs this with soft robotic grippers to automate the collection process, addressing the labor-intensive and hazardous nature of roadside litter picking.

2022 Frontiers in Robotics and AI 13 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
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

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 Learning Approach To Microplastic Detection And Quantification In Aquatic Environments

This study developed a machine learning approach for detecting and quantifying microplastics in aquatic environments, demonstrating that automated image analysis can improve throughput and accuracy compared to manual microscopic counting for environmental monitoring applications.

2025 International Journal of Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

Developing Beach Litter Monitoring System Based on Reflectance Characteristics and its Abundance

Researchers developed a beach litter monitoring system using optical reflectance characteristics of plastic debris, training a remote sensing model to detect and classify litter items on sandy beach surfaces. The system demonstrated accurate detection of common plastic litter types and offers a scalable, automated alternative to manual beach surveys.

2024 Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology 4 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

Aquatic Trash Detection and Classification: a Machine Learning and Deep Learning Perspective

This review examines machine learning and deep learning approaches for detecting and classifying aquatic trash in waterways, evaluating how computer vision algorithms trained on underwater and surface imagery can automate pollution monitoring for faster, more scalable ocean cleanup.

2025 International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science
Article Tier 2

Development of Drifting Debris Detection System using Deep Learning on Coastal Cleanup

Researchers developed a deep learning-based system to detect litter on beaches using images and automated object recognition. Efficient litter detection tools could help coastal cleanup programs identify and remove plastic debris before it breaks down into microplastics.

2023 Proceedings of International Conference on Artificial Life and Robotics
Article Tier 2

Big Data, Tiny Targets: An Exploratory Study in Machine Learning-enhanced Detection of Microplastic from Filters

Researchers applied machine learning algorithms to microscopy images of microplastics on filter papers, demonstrating that AI-assisted automated detection significantly reduces the manual analysis time required for high-throughput microplastic screening.

2025 ArXiv.org
Article Tier 2

Real-time detection and monitoring of public littering behavior using deep learning for a sustainable environment

Researchers developed an AI-powered surveillance system called SAWN that uses video cameras and deep learning models to detect public littering by vehicles and pedestrians in real time, achieving up to 99.5% accuracy — offering a scalable tool to reduce plastic pollution at its source.

2025 Scientific Reports 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances in machine learning for the detection and characterization of microplastics in the environment

This review examines how machine learning and artificial intelligence are being used to speed up and improve the detection of microplastics in the environment. Techniques like neural networks and computer vision can now automatically identify plastic types and count particles much faster than traditional manual methods, though challenges remain in standardizing these approaches.

2025 Frontiers in Environmental Science 34 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

Advancing Plastic Pollution Monitoring Through Enhanced Protocols and Deep Learning: applicability and effectiveness in real-world scenarios (Le Stang, France)

Researchers developed and tested a deep learning image analysis tool to enhance monitoring of beach plastic pollution, specifically targeting meso- and large microplastics at the wrack line in Brittany, France. The AI model achieved high detection accuracy under real-world conditions and integrated with established French national monitoring protocols, demonstrating feasibility for scalable automated beach litter surveillance.

2025