Smart and Sustainable Technological Framework for Microplastic Pollution Mitigation

Microplastic pollution has become a critical environmental concern due to its persistence, widespread distribution, and adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Large waterbodies and waterways serve as major accumulation and transport channels for microplastics originating from industrial effluents, urban runoff, and degradation of plastic waste. Existing remediation techniques often lack scalability, sustainability, or real-time adaptability. This paper presents a smart and sustainable technological framework for microplastic pollution mitigation, focusing on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. The proposed framework integrates intelligent monitoring, data-driven analytics, and eco-friendly remediation technologies to enable effective microplastic management. Low-power sensing and Internet of Things (IoT)–based monitoring systems are utilized for continuous detection and spatial assessment of microplastic contamination. Machine learning–based data analysis enhances detection accuracy, trend analysis, and hotspot identification. For mitigation, sustainable filtration mechanisms, biodegradable adsorbent materials, and nature-inspired separation techniques are incorporated to minimize ecological disruption and secondary pollution. The framework also emphasizes modular design, renewable energy integration, and scalability to support long-term deployment across diverse aquatic environments.

Microplastic pollution, Sustainable technologies, Smart environmental monitoring, Internet of Things (IoT), Eco-friendly remediation, Machine learning, Aquatic ecosystems

1. P. Thota, K. Challapalli, H. Garikapati, V. M. S. Adusumilli, S. Anamalamudi and M. K. Enduri, "Microplastic Detection in Drinking Water: A Comparative Analysis of CNN-SVM and CNN-RF Hybrid Models," 2024 OITS International Conference on Information Technology (OCIT), Vijayawada, India, 2024, pp. 24-29, doi: 10.1109/OCIT65031.2024.00014. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. A. Lagunov and M. Abdurakhimov, "The problem of Microplastic Accumulation in the Arctic Ocean," 2021 IEEE Ocean Engineering Technology and Innovation Conference: Ocean Observation, Technology and Innovation in Support of Ocean Decade of Science (OETIC), Jakarta, Indonesia, 2021, pp. 30-34, doi: 10.1109/OETIC53770.2021.9733722. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. F. G. Destreza, A. S. Mercado, A. V. Paytaren, J. M. Codiñera, R. A. Rosas and L. Rufo, "Hydroponic System for Effective Microplastic Filtration in the Sea: A Revolutionary Low-Cost Method," 2023 IEEE 13th International Conference on System Engineering and Technology (ICSET), Shah Alam, Malaysia, 2023, pp. 56-60, doi: 10.1109/ICSET59111.2023.10295162. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. K. A. Murphy, "Desalination and Purification of Water using a Solar Powered Hydrogel Multistage," 2021 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC), Princeton, NJ, USA, 2021, pp. 203-203, doi: 10.1109/ISEC52395.2021.9763983. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. L. Bifano, V. Meiler, R. Peter and G. Fischerauer, "Detection of microplastics in water using electrical impedance spectroscopy and support vector machines," Sensors and Measuring Systems; 21th ITG/GMA-Symposium, Nuremberg, Germany, 2022, pp. 1-4. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. P. Bello, A. Pini, S. Zazzini, P. Monti and G. Leuzzi, "Influence of Settling/Rising Velocity on the Vertical Distribution of Microplastics in the Marine Environment," 2024 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for the Sea; Learning to Measure Sea Health Parameters (MetroSea), Portorose, Slovenia, 2024, pp. 11-15, doi: 10.1109/MetroSea62823.2024.10765748. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. T. Shima, H. Furukawa, Y. Okamoto, W. Iwasaki and M. Ichiki, "Development of a Near-Infrared Imaging System for Identifying Microplastics in Water," 2022 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Pacific Rim (CLEO-PR), Sapporo, Japan, 2022, pp. 1-2, doi: 10.1109/CLEO-PR62338.2022.10432061. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. E. W. Ningrum and M. P. Patria, "Microplastics and Mercury Detection on Anchovy from Alor and Balikpapan Harbors, Indonesia," 2019 IEEE R10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10-HTC)(47129), Depok, West Java, Indonesia, 2019, pp. 254-257, doi: 10.1109/R10-HTC47129.2019.9042436. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. J. S. D. Alcala and J. Foster, "Investigation of the Effectiveness of O2 Plasma Pretreatment for the Decomposition of (Micro)Plastics in Water," 2025 IEEE Pulsed Power & Plasma Science (PPPS), Berlin, Germany, 2025, pp. 1-1, doi: 10.1109/PPPS56198.2025.11248561. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. T. Kongsaktrakul, N. Damrongplasit, T. Suwannaphan and A. Pimpin, "Obstacle Trenches for Enhanced Microplastic Trapping in 3D-Printed Microfluidics," 2025 17th Biomedical Engineering International Conference (BMEiCON), Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2025, pp. 1-4, doi: 10.1109/BMEiCON66226.2025.11113814. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. G. García-Valle et al., "Detecting Microplastics in Seawater with a Novel Optical Sensor Based on Artificial Intelligence Models," OCEANS 2025 Brest, BREST, France, 2025, pp. 1-8, doi: 10.1109/OCEANS58557.2025.11104700. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. J. Lombardo, A. Sureda, S. Pinya, S. Tejada, P. Ferriol and M. Compa, "Tracking Anthropogenic Particles with Sea Urchins: Paracentrotus lividus as a Bioindicator in the Balearic Islands," 2025 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for the Sea; Learning to Measure Sea Health Parameters (MetroSea), Genoa, Italy, 2025, pp. 417-421, doi: 10.1109/MetroSea66681.2025.11245747. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. J. -H. Fournier-Lupien and C. Bescond, "Sizing Microplastic Particles Using Acoustic Imaging and Deep Neural Network," OCEANS 2025 Brest, BREST, France, 2025, pp. 1-9, doi: 10.1109/OCEANS58557.2025.11104627. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Students' Perception Towards Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education in India
• Strategic Leadership and Cybersecurity Readiness in Digitally Transforming Organisations
• Spatial Distribution of Tourism Infrastructure in Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi Urban Areas of Anambra State.
• Emerging Technologies, Education and Skill Development for A Sustainable Blue Economy in Nigeria.
• Quantum Dot–Based Solar Cells: Advancements, Challenges, and Future Prospects