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Walking along any prominent beach, you are likely to encounter discarded waste. Items such as old water bottles, trash bags, straws, and various forms of plastic debris can be found scattered across the world’s shorelines. These materials eventually make their way into the ocean, where they can take decades or even centuries to decompose. According to estimates from International Coastal Cleanup and Ocean Conservancy, volunteers in 97 countries collected approximately 4,000 tons of waste from beaches globally in 2021. While spotting this litter typically requires keen eyesight and considerable effort on foot, advancements in technology may soon change that scenario thanks to a novel satellite imaging method developed by researchers at RMIT University in Australia.
The research team has created an innovative tool that identifies unique spectral characteristics associated with plastics. With this knowledge at hand, they were able to effectively distinguish plastic items on beaches from sand, water, and vegetation. Their findings will be featured in an upcoming edition of the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, and the researchers are optimistic that coastal cleanup organizations will adopt this new technology to enhance their efforts in removing plastics from beaches—ultimately reducing the harmful impact these materials have on marine environments.
“This is incredibly exciting because until now we lacked a means for detecting plastics within coastal areas using satellite technology,” stated Mariela Soto-Berelov, co-author of the study.
Plastic Waste: A Broader Environmental Concern
For years now, satellite imagery has been utilized by scientists to locate floating plastics within oceans and massive garbage patches like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This method proves effective for identifying larger pieces of plastic debris but falls short when it comes to detecting smaller items along coastlines. Often camouflaged or partially buried beneath sand layers makes it challenging for observers to spot them easily. Although oceanic plastic pollution garners significant attention due its visibility and impact on marine life; litter found along coastlines poses equally serious threats.
“Plastics can be mistaken for food sources; larger animals may become entangled while smaller creatures like hermit crabs might find themselves trapped inside discarded containers,” explained Jenna Guffogg—the lead author of the study.
The detrimental effects extend beyond beach ecosystems as well; if not removed promptly these plastics often drift into oceans where they gradually break down into microplastics—tiny particles consumed by fish which then ascend through food chains. Some experts suggest this cycle could contribute significantly towards rising levels of microplastics detected within humans—a concerning trend linked with potential endocrine disruption and adverse reproductive health outcomes; however comprehensive understanding regarding microplastics’ impacts on human health remains incomplete.
Innovative Detection Methodology
This is precisely where RMIT’s new detection system comes into play: The team devised a “spectral index” designed specifically for recognizing light patterns reflected off various types of plastics which possess distinct attributes within shortwave infrared (SWIR) electromagnetic spectrum—characteristics absent from sand or organic matter surrounding them. Dubbed Beached Plastic Debris Index (BPDI), this index functions similarly as a filter applied onto images captured via satellites such as WorldView 3 operating at an altitude exceeding 617 kilometers above Earth’s surface.
To validate their innovative tool’s effectiveness,the researchers visited recycling facilities gathering assorted typesofplastic waste likely encounteredonbeaches.Most samples consistedof fragments originatingfromlarger pieces while others exhibited color fading due UV exposure typicalforitems left unattended outdoors.The final selection comprised fourteen distinctplastic targets each measuring approximately two square meters placed strategically three point seven meters apart acrossa beach locatedin Victoria Australia .
< pclass =" article -paragraphskip ">Looking ahead,researchers aspireto transition findings beyondcontrolledtestingenvironmentsinto real-world applications.This could involve collaboratingwithorganizations specializingincoastalcleanup initiatives leveragingtheirnewlydevelopedimagerytechniques.Timeiscritical given recentstudiesindicatingthevolumeofplasticenteringoceanscontinuesrisingatapproximatelyfourpercentannually.< / p >
< pclass =" article -paragraphskip ">“We’re eager topartnerwithorganizationsonthe nextphaseofthisresearch,”Soto-Berelov remarked.“This presentsanopportunitytoaidinprotectingfragilebeachecosystemsfromplasticpollution.”< / p >
< p>The post Satellite Imaging Technology Can Now Detect Hidden Plastic Waste Along Beaches appeared first on Popular Science.
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