Innovative and Integrated Solutions Against Mucilage and Microplastic Pollution
International Congress on Undergraduate Capstone Projects in Engineering and Natural Sciences, İstanbul, Türkiye, 11 - 12 Mayıs 2026, ss.82, (Özet Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
- Basıldığı Şehir: İstanbul
- Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.82
- İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Adresli: Evet
Özet
Although approximately 75% of the Earth's surface is covered with water, usable clean water resources are steadily decreasing. The main reasons for this include increasing population, intensive industrial activities, and unplanned urbanization. These processes accelerate water pollution, particularly by transporting nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus into aquatic environments. One of the significant environmental problems that has emerged in recent years is mucilage formation. Mucilage, observed especially in semi-enclosed water systems like the Marmara Sea, poses serious threats to ecosystem balance, economic activities, and public health. Furthermore, the detection of microplastic pollution even in human biological systems has made the problem even more critical.
Traditional water treatment methods are often insufficient to remove these complex pollutants. Therefore, new and more effective solutions are being developed from a chemical and chemical engineering perspective. These solutions can generally be examined under three main headings: prevention, monitoring, and remediation strategies. Biological and natural-based approaches are attracting attention in solving mucilage-related problems. For example, the combined use of rhamnolipids, which exhibit biosurfactant properties, and bacteriophage mixtures significantly reduces mucilage-related pathogenic bacteria. Similarly, plant-derived algicides can indirectly control mucilage formation by suppressing algal growth. The most important advantage of these methods is that they cause less harm to the environment and are sustainable. Advanced wastewater treatment technologies are critical for reducing the nutrient load, which is one of the main causes of mucilage formation. Processes such as Bardenpho and biofilm contact denitrification provide high efficiency in nitrogen and phosphorus removal, significantly reducing the pollutant load reaching aquatic environments. Widespread adoption of such processes will directly contribute to preventing mucilage formation. In addition, treating mucilage not as waste but as a valuable resource is an important approach. The use of plant-derived mucilage as a natural flocculant provides high efficiency in water treatment. Furthermore, thanks to its hydrogel and hydrocolloid properties, mucilage can be used in the production of food, pharmaceuticals, and biodegradable materials. Similarly, instead of completely eliminating microplastics, converting them into polymer matrix composite materials is a more viable strategy from a circular economy perspective. Early detection and monitoring systems also play a critical role in this process. Biodiversity-based monitoring methods and smart biosensors can predict mucilage formation in advance, enabling rapid intervention.
Consequently, water pollution from mucilage and microplastics is a multifaceted problem and cannot be eliminated with a single solution. Integrated approaches using biological methods, advanced treatment technologies, resource recovery, and monitoring systems are necessary. These strategies support ecosystem sustainability along with the conservation of water resources and provide a framework consistent with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and 14 (Life Below Water). This study summarizes advanced technological solutions applied in the removal of mucilage and microplastic-related water pollution and the functional materials used for these purposes.