The BIOBLU project aims to make an innovative contribution to the removal of waste from beaches through an analysis of the state of the local environment and the promotion of a new management approach based on new technologies and available new knowledge.

The innovative method consists of a kit with high level of technology and automation, based on a deep learning process, which will recognize waste remotely (via drones), allow its collection in a robotic way and facilitate its disposal in compacting bins in a separated way.

The project will be implemented on two pocket beaches, small beaches limited by natural headlands. In addition, thanks to the physico-biological analysis of waste, its origin will be determined through an integrated current detection system, and it will be determined the impact that microplastics in particular have on the faune in order to assess its impact on the food chain.

Expected Results:

7.75 sq km of surfaces covered by analysis of the negative impacts caused by the presence of plastics and microplastics on the trophic chain (of which MPA Milazzo 7.68 sq km and SII/BF Ramla, 0.07 sq km); two different protocols for cleaning in an automatized way the two beaches and the development of a model for the free-plastic management of each of the two protected areas.

With regard to the two marine protected areas, the project has the following objectives:

1) to quantify the negative impacts caused by the presence of plastics and microplastics on the trophic chain
2) to reduce plastics in protected areas with an automatic system
3) the development of a plastic free management model and a diffusion campaign

The project activities will carry out:

n. 110 samples for the assessment of the distribution of plastics in different marine environments and their interactions with the different organisms of the trophic network;
n. 2 operating tests of the UGV prototype for the inspection of sandy soils and the collection of plastic waste;
n. 2 manuals of the Model for the free-plastic management of the two protected areas.

Project Lead Partner:

Università di Messina - Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Biologiche, Farmaceutiche e Ambientali (CHIBIOFARAM-UNIME)

Project Partners:

Ministero di Gozo - EcoGozoRegional Development Directorate

Università di Catania - Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica Elettronica e Informatica

Comune di Milazzo

Università di Malta - Department of Communications and Computer Engineering

Università di Messina - Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Biologiche, Farmaceutiche e Ambientali (CHIBIOFARAM-UNIME)

Piazza Pugliatti, 1- 98122 Messina (IT)

Email

rettorato@unime.it

Web Site

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/progettobioblu/