A Novel Engineering & Technology Framework to Abate Waterbody Contaminants

Biodiverse ecosystems are rapidly declining worldwide due to eutrophication, a process caused by excessive nutrient enrichment. Innovative approaches that combine sustainable materials with technology are urgently needed to capture nutrient loads and reduce the severity of eutrophication events. This research aims to develop a real-time detection and delivery system for targeted contaminant management in marine habitats. Zeolite was selected through static analytical colorimetry for nitrate sequestration, and its effectiveness was enhanced by surface modification to improve adsorption. A custom-engineered system equipped with multiple sensors was integrated into a remotely operated surface water vehicle. The system assessed conditions conducive to algal growth from a visualization platform and prevented algal proliferation by dosing zeolites for nitrate sequestration through targeted actions. Field tests were conducted in Lake Washington and the Indian River in East-Central Florida, with water quality monitored through cloud-based dashboards. A third-order polynomial regression machine learning model predicted high-nutrient environments with 92% accuracy. This cost-effective system provides engineers with a scalable solution to enhance water quality, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.1, which aims to significantly reduce marine pollution by 2025.