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Chapter I
Problem and Its Scope
Rationale
​
Plastic pollution is an anthropogenic matter in the marine and coastal ecosystem that has
become the world’s urgent ecological issue. Due to unique characteristics of plastic, such as their
longer durability and ease of transport by wind and water currents, plastic garbage persists in
ocean basins. Over five trillion pieces of plastic debris, totaling more than 260,000 tons, are now
floating on the surface of the oceans due to improper waste disposal (Eriksen et al., 2014).
Continuous accumulation of plastics underwater by human activities causes an indirect and direct
interference to the dynamic of ecosystems (i.e. structures, functions, marine species, services and
values).
According to Thushari & Senevirathna (2020), the ocean is a complex ecosystem rich in
biodiversity that is a habitat to a wide variety of life types, ranging from simpler critters like
horseshoe crabs to more complex ones like dolphins. Marine ecosystems provide invaluable
services and values for human well being, instances are; provisioning most kinds of resources
that came from the ocean, regulation of climate and carbon sequestration, and supporting
agricultural processes. Earth’s system is made up of interconnected systems thus it affects all
other systems if one makes changes.
There are several factors that explain the existence of plastic pollution, however
anthropogenic sources take precedence that have put a strain on the marine and coastal
ecosystems. According to Parker (2019), plastic contamination is apparent in developing nations
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where garbage collection is deficient and lacking, and it is particularly low in recycling rates
hence, agitating in collecting discarded garbage appropriately. According to Ramos (2020), the
Philippines was ranked as the third largest source of plastic pollution in the ocean after China
and Indonesia that leads in terms of unregulated plastic waste quantity among Southeast Asian
nations. Daily, the Philippines releases 6875.84 tons (6,237,653 kg) of plastic into the ocean,
with 81% of this plastic being managed poorly and as a consequences thousands of marine
species namely sea turtles, whales, birds and seals were killed from underwater waste because of
frequently mistaken it as foods.
This incident urges the government and organization to seek for a feasible solution in
mitigating underwater plastic waste, thus the emergence of engineered prototypes. There are
several studies that are conducted in mitigating plastic pollution utilizing hands-on materials for
instance, a study by Flores et al. (2020), conducted a thorough autonomous monitoring of marine
pollution utilizing coordinated fleets of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Engineering
prototype development and utilization reflect significant discovery in the ongoing problem of
plastic pollution by putting these innovative solutions into practice. The government and
organizations aim to lessen the negative consequences of uncontrolled plastics, protect
vulnerable ecosystems, and maintain the health and welfare of both marine life and human
beings.
In this case, this study is proposing an innovation of an arduino-based remote control
submersible ultrasonic sensor in mitigation of plastic pollution. According to Arduino (2023),
arduino is an open-source electronic platform that is based on easy-to-use hardware and
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software. It allows the users to read inputs and turn them into outputs by sending instructions to
the microcontroller on the board. Arduino programming language and software make it
accessible for beginners and flexible for advanced users. According to Fuller (2023), the
HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor distance measurement system, which uses an Arduino UNO
microcontroller, provides a versatile and practical method of determining the distance of an
object in the area. The system can calculate the object's distance by using the ultrasonic sensor,
which sends out a sound wave and measures how long it takes for the wave to return. This
distance data is then processed by the Arduino UNO microcontroller and displayed on a
user-friendly 162 LCD module. Numerous applications, such as obstacle detection, automated
door control, level measurement, parking assistance, and others, make use of this system.
Furthermore, the research gap lies in the lack of studies of the mitigation strategy for
plastic pollution involving the utilization of an Arduino-based floating robot equipped with an
integrated camera system. Previous researchers have studied and utilized similar sensors
however due to differing objectives there is still a need to assess the effectiveness of detecting
plastic waste with ultrasonic sensors. It is necessary to apprehend how to ensemble the
components, program specific language that only fixates on detecting microplastics and make an
aperture at the forefront of the prototype to facilitate the ingestion of plastic waste. A study by
Baharuddin et al. (2016), the researchers utilized the “Arduino MEGA2560 as the central
performance control system by an additional HC-05 Bluetooth Shield that enables Arduino
MEGA2560 communicate with Android smartphones”, and is therefore a similar strategy that
will be use in this study to carry out. Additionally, the study aims to innovate an effective
arduino-based ultrasonic sensor that devour microplastics underwater, but to determine its
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effectivity, the prototype will be installed in the coastal-zone area where plastic pollution is a
concern and continuously monitor and collect data on the presence and movement of
microplastics.
On this account, the main objective of this study is to create a solution to mitigate plastic
pollution in the ocean by creating an Arduino-based remote control submersible sensor and to
test its effectiveness.
Statement of the Problem
​
The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of innovating an Arduino-based remote
control submersible sensor in mitigation of plastic pollution. Particularly, this study explore to
answer the following questions:
1.​ How effective is the arduino-based remote control submersible ultrasonic sensor in
mitigation of plastic pollution when:
(a) under a controlled weather condition
(b) there is a movement of microplastic underwater
(c) fish are apparent during the experimentation
2.​ Is there a significant difference in the quality of the ultrasonic sensor when the used
models are:
(a) HC-SR04
(b) Arduino MEGA2560
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3.​ How to install and program a prototype that will control the vacuum if the system detects
plastic waste and the ultrasonic sensor will notify the user if the load of plastics are full?
Hypotheses
​
𝐻0: The submersible remote control ultrasonic sensor is not effective in accumulating
underwater plastic waste under a controlled weather condition and moving of microplastics.
​
𝐻𝑎: The submersible remote control ultrasonic sensor is effective in accumulating
underwater plastic waste under a controlled weather condition and moving of microplastics.
Scope and Delimitations
This research primarily aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an arduino-based remote control
submersible Sensor in combating plastic pollution within a particular, limited coastal region
where plastic contamination is a pressing concern. The primary focus of this study lies in the
identification and retrieval of minute plastic particles, including microplastics. It's worth
mentioning that the study is not concerned with the removal of larger plastic items.
The research mainly revolves around shallow water ecosystems and does not extend its analysis
to the sensor's performance in wide aquatic environments. It confines its assessment to the
sensor's capabilities and constraints within the designated geographical area, while considering
variables like water flow, water quality, and weather conditions that could influence the sensor's
effectiveness.
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Furthermore, the research is specifically customized to address small-scale plastic pollution
issues in coastal zones and is not intended to assess the technology's suitability for larger bodies
of water. The study underscores the sensor's role in detection and collection of plastic debris,
excluding other aspects of plastic pollution management such as recycling or policy implications.
Importantly, the research primarily involves data collection and does not deeply engage in data
analysis or the modeling of plastic pollution trends.
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Conceptual Framework
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Significance of the Study
Biosystem. Living things that are affected by the pollution of water due to plastics will benefit
from this study for they have a cleaner environment.
Aquatic wildlife. Marine life will no longer be threatened or harmed by plastic pollution, and
since they are no longer constrained by it, they are free to travel wherever they like.
Local communities/ Coastal residents. People that are living in the seashore will have a safer
lifestyle and away from harm due to this study.
Future researcher. The future researcher will be using the discovery that would have a diverse
participation that can support the future experimenter when the matter is being studied.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The government sector will gain from
this study because it will serve as their new source of information on how to lessen the water
pollution that is caused by plastics.
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Definition of Terms
Sensor refers to the device that detects input of any kind from the physical environment and
responds to it.
Proximity Sensor is a type of sensor that can detect nearby objects without touching them by
using different approaches like sound, light, and electromagnetic field.
Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUVs) is an independent robot used to explore underwater.
It has its own navigation and it does not need direct control from an operator.
Microcontroller is a type of computer that is designed to perform specific tasks and is integrated
onto a single chip.
Digital Pin is used to read data from some components (sensors) and write data to other
components (actuators).
LCD (Liquid-crystal display) module refers to a particular type of flat panel display that runs
primarily on liquid crystals.
Arduino MEGA2560 is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega2560.
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HC-05 Bluetooth Shield is a module that can give your projects two-way wireless
communication.
Ballast System is the process by which a commercial ship fills or empties the water in its ballast
tanks while it is sailing or docked.