School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Bihar, 803116, India.
Department of Biosystems Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Dec 10;955:176621. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176621. Epub 2024 Oct 10.
Plastic pollution in the natural environment has been overlooked, which leads to potential risks to human health and wildlife. This paper provides an overview on citizen science approach to mitigate and manage plastic pollution in natural environments. Also, this paper highlights the importance of citizen science in raising public awareness of environmental issues and promoting sustainable practices. Case studies and different projects, such as "Plastic Pirates", "Litterati", "Trash Hunter", "International Pellat Watch", and many more projects on the role of citizen scientists are summarized, which aims to monitor and collect plastic resin pellets from different ecosystems, for example, beaches, seas, and rivers and also engage various stakeholders, for example, citizen scientists, students, academic and research organizations, non-profits, government agencies, industry, and local communities. Additionally, this paper discusses different methodologies, such as surveys and sampling approaches, using mobile apps, instruments and kits to collect information on plastic pollution. Importantly, it discusses the need for global partnerships and policies to address plastic waste management and prevent conflict. Likewise, this review emphasizes the citizen sciences and impacts of plastics on both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems to conserve, preserve, and monitor biodiversity through citizen participation. This study also highlights the significance of community involvement, such as local, coastal, marginalized, or vulnerable communities, in environmental research and the potential benefits of citizen science programs. Overall, this paper concludes with insights into citizen science as a valuable resource tool for researchers, policymakers, and the public interested in understanding and addressing the problem of plastic pollution.
自然环境中的塑料污染一直被忽视，这给人类健康和野生动物带来了潜在风险。本文概述了公民科学方法在减轻和管理自然环境中的塑料污染方面的作用。此外，本文还强调了公民科学在提高公众对环境问题的认识和促进可持续实践方面的重要性。本文总结了一些案例研究和不同的项目，如“塑料海盗”、“Litterati”、“Trash Hunter”、“国际 Pellat 观察”等，这些项目旨在监测和收集来自不同生态系统的塑料树脂颗粒，例如海滩、海洋和河流，并吸引各种利益相关者，如公民科学家、学生、学术和研究组织、非营利组织、政府机构、工业界和当地社区。此外，本文还讨论了不同的方法，如使用移动应用程序进行调查和采样、使用仪器和工具包收集有关塑料污染的信息。重要的是，本文讨论了需要全球合作和政策来解决塑料废物管理和防止冲突。同样，本综述强调了公民科学在保护、保存和监测生物多样性方面的作用，以及公民参与对水生和陆地生态系统中塑料的影响。本文还强调了社区参与的重要性，如当地、沿海、边缘化或脆弱社区，在环境研究中的重要性以及公民科学计划的潜在好处。总的来说，本文最后得出结论，认为公民科学是研究人员、政策制定者和公众了解和解决塑料污染问题的宝贵资源工具。
