Sistem pentru detectarea și monitorizarea poluării cu microplastice în ecosistemele acvatice

The increasing presence of microplastics and nanoplastics in aquatic ecosystems has raised significant environmental and public health concerns worldwide. These persistent pollutants, originating from both primary and secondary sources, are difficult to detect due to their microscopic size and widespread dispersion. Their impacts range from causing physiological damage to aquatic organisms to bioaccumulation and trophic transfer, ultimately affecting human health. This study proposes the development of a detection and monitoring system for the presence of microplastics in aquatic environments, based on the Tyndall effect – an optical phenomenon of light scattering observed in colloidal systems. The system integrates optical sensors, a laser light source, a video capture module, and the NVIDIA Jetson Orin™ Nano platform, which enables real-time analysis through AI-powered image processing and pattern recognition. The system’s architecture supports both qualitative and quantitative estimation of microplastics in water samples and has the potential for continuous, adaptive environmental monitoring. This approach offers a scalable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective alternative to traditional laboratory methods, contributing to early pollution detection and improved water quality management strategies. The proposed system shows strong potential for integration into smart environmental monitoring networks and contributes to broader efforts aimed at sustainable ecosystem protection.