Anthropogenic Waste Classification in Deep Sea Environments

Deep-sea ecosystems play a significant role in regulating the Earth's climate by capturing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and calcium carbonate deposition. They also play a crucial role in global nutrient cycling, recycling organic matter from surface waters. Economically, deep-sea ecosystems provide valuable services like fisheries resources, pharmaceutical compounds, and minerals and metals. Protecting these ecosystems is essential for sustainable use and maintaining the livelihoods of communities that depend on them. The ecological integrity of deep-sea ecosystems is seriously threatened by anthropogenic waste, but efforts to control and lessen this problem are hampered by the absence of thorough classification frameworks. In order to improve our knowledge of the origins, distribution, and effects of anthropogenic waste in deep marine habitats, this chapter suggests creating a systematic framework for classification of anthropogenic waste using advanced deep learning techniques. Integrated with a user-friendly web application, our proposed work allows users to effortlessly upload images of waste materials and receive real-time classification results with 99% accuracy.