Abstract
Floating and washed ashore marine plastic debris (MPD) is a growing environmental challenge. It has become evident that secluded locations including the Arctic, Antarctic, and remote islands are being impacted by plastic pollution generated thousands of kilometers away. Optical remote sensing of MPD is an emerging field that can aid in monitoring remote environments where in-person observation and data collection is not always feasible. Here we evaluate MPD spectral features in the visible to shortwave infrared regions for detecting varying quantities of MPD that have accumulated on beaches using a spectroradiometer. Measurements were taken from a range of in situ MPD accumulations ranging from 0.08% to 7.94% surface coverage. Our results suggest that spectral absorption features at 1215 nm and 1732 nm are useful for detecting varying abundance levels of MPD in a complex natural environment, however other absorption features at 931 nm, 1045 nm and 2046 nm could not detect in situ MPD. The reflectance of some in situ MPD accumulations was statistically different from samples that only contained organic debris and sand between 1.56% and 7.94% surface cover; however other samples with similar surface cover did not have reflectance that was statistically different from samples containing no MPD. Despite MPD being detectable against a background of sand and organic beach debris, a clear relationship between the surface cover of MPD and the strength of key absorption features could not be established. Additional research is needed to advance our understanding of the factors, such as type of MPD assemblage, that contribute to the bulk reflectance of MPD contaminated landscapes.
Highlights
Marine plastic debris (MPD) has become a major environmental problem over the last half century, with implications for environmental health, ecosystem functioning and economic output
The surface cover of marine plastic debris (MPD) within quadrats that contained natural plastic litter ranged from 0.08% to 7.94% (Table 1)
This study investigated if optical remote sensing was suitable for detecting marine plastic debris (MPD) deposited on beaches by ocean currents
Summary
Marine plastic debris (MPD) has become a major environmental problem over the last half century, with implications for environmental health, ecosystem functioning and economic output. A considerable amount of literature has been published documenting the effects of plastic ingestion and the implication for wildlife and human food chains [1,2]. In addition to environmental effects, the impacts of MPD on economic systems, such as the implications of MPD for tourism [3] and fishing operations [4], have been assessed. A key challenge for addressing the environmental and economic impacts of MPD is locating where these pollutants accumulate, and in what concentrations. 250,000 tons of buoyant plastics in the world’s oceans [5], and that 10% of the plastic waste generated globally each year will end up in marine environments [6].
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