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Public Perceptions and AI-Based Monitoring of Microplastics in the United States (2015-2025): A Systematic Review
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This review of research from 2015-2025 finds that while most Americans are worried about microplastic pollution (tiny plastic particles now found in our water, food, and even bodies), that concern doesn't always translate into action, largely due to cost, trust issues, and confusion over who's responsible for fixing it. Meanwhile, AI tools that could help detect and track microplastics more accurately are still underused, meaning there's a real gap between what technology can do and what the public and policymakers actually know or act on.
Microplastics are present in every ecosystem and pose serious environmental and health risks. Public awareness and responses to microplastics have not kept pace with scientific research and detection/distribution. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are becoming more common in enhancing environmental monitoring. This systematic literature review examines scientific literature from 2015-2025 to explore public perceptions of microplastic pollution in the United States and assess the usefulness of AI technologies for microplastic monitoring. We conducted a peer-reviewed study search and analysis using the PRISMA methodology. The results show that the public is worried about plastic pollution, but motivations to act relate to cost, trust, and perceived responsibility. AI-based monitoring technologies show great promise for improving detection accuracy and efficiency but remain underutilised in the field. The study identifies a key challenge: closing the gap between technological developments and public awareness and policymaking. The study adopts a social-ecological systems (SES) perspective to highlight the interdependency of environmental, social, and technological aspects. The review ends by pinpointing research uncertainties and the need for stronger interdisciplinary connections to achieve effective environmental governance.
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This review paper takes stock of the tools scientists use to detect microplastics—tiny plastic particles that have been found in our water, food, and even our bodies—and finds that no single method is good enough yet to reliably catch the smallest, most concerning particles (nanoplastics). This matters because better detection technology, especially tools combining AI with chemical analysis, is a necessary first step before we can accurately understand how much plastic we're actually exposed to and what it might mean for our health.
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Scientists are increasingly using AI to detect microplastics faster than traditional lab methods like microscopes and chemical testing, according to a review of 113 studies. While AI shows promise, sometimes spotting these tiny plastic particles with over 90% accuracy, the field still lacks standardized testing methods, making it hard to compare results across studies or trust the technology is ready for widespread use. This matters because better, faster microplastic detection could eventually help us understand how much of this pollutant we're exposed to in our food, water, and air.
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