Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Optimization and Evaluation of Widely-Used Total Suspended Matter Concentration Retrieval Methods for ZY1-02D’s AHSI Imagery

This study evaluated methods for measuring total suspended matter concentrations in Chinese inland waters using hyperspectral satellite imagery. Remote sensing of water quality is increasingly relevant for monitoring pollution including microplastics in large water bodies.

2022 Remote Sensing 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancing floating macroplastic detection from space using hyperspectral imagery

Researchers evaluated the use of hyperspectral satellite and airborne imagery to detect floating plastic debris in rivers and oceans, addressing major challenges related to plastic spectral properties in field conditions. Remote sensing tools for plastic detection are important for large-scale monitoring of the macro-scale plastic that eventually becomes microplastics.

2021 5 citations
Article Tier 2

An inversion model of microplastics abundance based on satellite remote sensing: a case study in the Bohai Sea

Researchers developed a satellite-based model to estimate microplastic concentrations in China's Bohai Sea using remote sensing data. The model combined water color measurements from satellites with field sampling to predict microplastic distribution across a large area. The study suggests that remote sensing could become a practical tool for monitoring ocean microplastic pollution over wide regions without relying solely on labor-intensive field sampling.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Can Water Constituents Be Used as Proxy to Map Microplastic Dispersal Within Transitional and Coastal Waters?

Researchers tested whether measurable water quality parameters such as turbidity and chlorophyll could serve as indirect proxies for predicting microplastic distribution in coastal and transitional waters using remote sensing data. Results showed limited predictive power, suggesting that microplastic monitoring cannot reliably be inferred from water clarity measures alone.

2020 Frontiers in Environmental Science 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Concept for a hyperspectral remote sensing algorithm for floating marine macro plastics

Researchers developed a reflectance model for how sunlight interacts with floating plastic debris on the ocean surface, accounting for plastic color, transparency, and shape, as a foundational step toward a hyperspectral remote sensing algorithm capable of detecting marine macroplastics from aircraft or satellite.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Uncovering Plastic Litter Spectral Signatures: A Comparative Study of Hyperspectral Band Selection Algorithms

This paper is not primarily about microplastics; it focuses on hyperspectral band-selection algorithms to identify the optical spectral signatures of plastic litter under water, primarily as a remote-sensing detection methodology. While relevant to plastic pollution monitoring, it does not assess microplastic abundance, distribution, or ecological/health effects.

2023 Remote Sensing 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancing Floating Macroplastic Detection from Space Using Experimental Hyperspectral Imagery

Researchers tested experimental hyperspectral airborne imagery to detect floating macroplastics in rivers and the ocean, demonstrating that combining spectral and spatial features improves detection accuracy over single-band approaches.

2021 Remote Sensing 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Classification and distribution of freshwater microplastics along the Italian Po river by hyperspectral imaging

Researchers used hyperspectral imaging to classify and map the distribution of freshwater microplastics collected from four stations along Italy's Po River, correlating microplastic categories with polymer types and morphological features.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Estimating microplastic concentrations in surface water using satellite-based turbidity measurements: a case study on the New River, VA

Researchers used satellite-derived turbidity measurements as a proxy for microplastic concentrations in the New River, Virginia, developing and validating a model that enables broader spatial and temporal monitoring of riverine microplastic pollution without intensive field sampling.

2025 VTechWorks (Virginia Tech)
Article Tier 2

Monitoring Water Clarity Using Landsat 8 Imagery in Jiaozhou Bay, China, From 2013 to 2022

This paper is not about microplastics. It uses Landsat 8 satellite imagery to monitor water clarity changes in Jiaozhou Bay, China from 2013 to 2022, finding that rainfall and human activities are the primary drivers of transparency changes. The study focuses on remote sensing and water quality monitoring with no direct connection to microplastic pollution.

2023 IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid and direct detection of small microplastics in aquatic samples by a new near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) method

Researchers developed a rapid near-infrared hyperspectral imaging method capable of detecting and chemically identifying small microplastics (down to a few hundred micrometers) in aquatic samples faster and with less labor than traditional spectroscopy approaches.

2020 Chemosphere 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Water Quality Grade Identification for Lakes in Middle Reaches of Yangtze River Using Landsat-8 Data with Deep Neural Networks (DNN) Model

Researchers developed a deep neural network model applied to Landsat-8 satellite data to automatically identify water quality grades for lakes in the middle Yangtze River reaches, demonstrating that machine learning and remote sensing can provide cost-effective large-scale monitoring as an alternative to labor-intensive in situ measurements.

2022 Remote Sensing 11 citations
Article Tier 2

New Radiometric Approaches to Compute Underwater Irradiances: Potential Applications for High-Resolution and Citizen Science-Based Water Quality Monitoring Programs

This paper presents new radiometric methods for calculating underwater light attenuation, a measure used to assess water quality and clarity. Accurate water quality monitoring tools are important for tracking pollution levels, including the optical effects of microplastics suspended in water.

2021 Sensors 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection and identification of microplastics directly in water by hyperspectral imaging

Researchers used hyperspectral imaging to identify different types of microplastics mixed together in water, demonstrating that the technique can distinguish polymer types based on their spectral signatures. This non-destructive, real-time method could improve the speed and accuracy of microplastic monitoring in water samples.

2023 EPJ Web of Conferences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Indicative Lake Water Quality Assessment Using Remote Sensing Images-Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown

This study used remote sensing satellite images to assess lake water quality during COVID-19 lockdowns, finding that reduced human activity led to improved water quality indicators. The results illustrate how anthropogenic activities significantly degrade water quality, which is relevant context for microplastic pollution driven by human activity.

2020 Water 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Hyperspectral Imaging as a Potential Online Detection Method of Microplastics

Researchers evaluated hyperspectral imaging (HSI) as a potential online detection method for microplastics in aquatic environments, assessing its ability to rapidly identify polymer types. The study found HSI shows strong promise for fast polymer identification, though improvements in processing speed are needed for real-time monitoring applications.

2020 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Satellite sensors as an emerging technique for monitoring macro- and microplastics in aquatic ecosystems

This review assessed the emerging use of satellite remote sensing technologies for monitoring macro- and microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems, evaluating current capabilities and limitations of different satellite sensors for detecting waterborne plastic debris.

2022 Water Emerging Contaminants & Nanoplastics 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of microplastics in surface water of typical shallow lake in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River: A case study of Lake Baoan, Hubei Province

A seasonal sampling campaign at Lake Baoan, a shallow Yangtze River basin lake in China, found an average microplastic abundance of about 16 particles per litre in surface water, with fibers making up 40% of particles and polyethylene the dominant polymer. Microplastic concentrations peaked in winter and were lowest in summer, but showed no significant correlation with conventional water-quality indicators — suggesting that standard water-quality monitoring will miss microplastic contamination.

2024 Journal of Lake Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Hyperspectral imaging for identification of irregular-shaped microplastics in water

Researchers demonstrated a method using hyperspectral imaging to detect and identify ten different types of microplastics directly in water samples. By selecting fourteen specific wavelengths and computationally removing water interference, they could distinguish between plastic types without the labor-intensive sample preparation that current methods require. The technique could make routine microplastic water monitoring faster and more accessible for environmental testing.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis on advances and characteristics of microplastic pollution in China’s lake ecosystems

Statistical data on microplastic pollution were compiled and analyzed for 86 lakes across China's lake ecosystems over the past five years, revealing widespread contamination with concentrations generally higher in lakes near urban and industrial areas. The review identifies China's heavily polluted eastern lake region as a priority for microplastic monitoring and management intervention.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution Characteristics and Source Analysis of Microplastics in Urban Freshwater Lakes: A Case Study in Songshan Lake of Dongguan, China

Researchers found microplastics in both surface water and sediments of Songshan Lake, an urban freshwater lake in China, identifying fiber shapes as dominant and using principal component analysis to trace sources including atmospheric deposition, runoff, and recreational activities.

2022 Water 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Urban Water Quality Assessment Based on Remote Sensing Reflectance Optical Classification

Researchers developed an urban water quality assessment method combining remote sensing reflectance optical classification with traditional water quality grading principles, enabling spatially and temporally continuous monitoring of urban water bodies.

2021 Remote Sensing 26 citations
Article Tier 2

An effective strategy for the monitoring of microplastics in complex aquatic matrices: Exploiting the potential of near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI)

Researchers developed a near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) method for rapid monitoring of microplastics in complex marine matrices, demonstrating effective detection and polymer identification that overcomes the time and cost limitations of conventional spectroscopic analysis approaches.

2021 Chemosphere 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Eliminating the interference of water for direct sensing of submerged plastics using hyperspectral near-infrared imager

Researchers developed a hyperspectral imaging technique — which captures light across many wavelengths invisible to the human eye — that can detect different types of plastic submerged in water by filtering out water's interference with the light signal. The method successfully identified nine common plastic types at depths up to 15 mm, offering a promising tool for detecting microplastics in aquatic environments from lab benches or aircraft.

2023 Scientific Reports 6 citations