USING REMOTE SENSING FOR PLASTIC DEBRIS MONITORING IN THE EGYPTIAN NORTHERN COAST

Abstract. Accumulation of plastic debris in water bodies has recently become a global concern, where the hotspots are being affected by a flow of toxic plastics from different sources. This study applied a science-based methodology for monitoring and assessment of macro plastic debris in the shoreline and sea surface of a pilot Egyptian Mediterranean site. Optical spectral of Sentinel-2 and Planet scope images were examined using a combination of different spectral bands with several indices and verified by the pixel-value classification method of Sentinel-2 images. Further, microwave remote sensing (Sentinel-2, SAR sensor) was analyzed to add more information to the optical study. Quantitative field measurements of marine debris were applied using UNEP/MAP metadata to support satellite results. This study found that 82% of beach accumulated materials were artificial polymers and that classification image was the most precise technique that reflects the real variety of different features. The overall accuracy of plastics detection and identification using remote sensing techniques reached about 70–80%.