A Hyperspectral Reflectance Database of Plastic Debris with Different Fractional Abundance in River Systems
Mohammad Ali Olyaei, Ardeshir Ebtehaj, Christopher R. Ellis
Abstract
Plastic debris pollution transported by river systems to lakes and oceans has emerged as a significant environmental concern with adverse impacts on ecosystems, food webs, and human health. Remote sensing presents a cost-effective approach to bolster interception and removal efforts. However, unlike marine environments, the optical properties of plastic debris in fresh waters remain poorly understood. This study aims to address this gap by providing an open-access hyperspectral reflectance database of floating weathered and virgin plastic debris found in river systems under controlled laboratory experiments. Utilizing natural waters from the Mississippi River, the database was assembled using a remote sensing data acquisition system deployed over a hydraulic flume operating under subcritical flow conditions and varying suspended sediment concentrations. The measurements encompass hyperspectral diffused light reflectance from ultraviolet (UV, 350 nm) to shortwave infrared (SWIR, 2500 nm) wavelengths. The database archived in Network Common Data Form (NetCDF) and Comma-separated values (CSV), offers valuable insights for better understanding key spectral signatures indicative of floating plastic debris, with different fractional abundance, in freshwater ecosystems.