Ricerc@Sapienza

An innovative approach, based on HyperSpectral Imaging (HSI), was developed in order to set up an efficient method to analyze marine microplastic litter. HSI was applied to samples collected by surface-trawling plankton nets from several parts of the world (i.e. Arctic, Mediterranean, South Atlantic and North Pacific). Reliable information on abundance, size, shape and polymer type for the whole ensemble of plastic particles in each sample was retrieved from single hyperspectral images.

The aim of this study is to develop a new methodology based on optical sensors able to recognize and characterize microplastics collected in the marine environment. In recent years, this pollution represents an environmental emergency with serious effects on human health and marine organisms. The study was carried out on microplastics collected in different geographical areas.