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@article{189783,
        author = {Shaily Mishra and Jaymin Bava},
        title = {Living Solutions for Dying Seas: The Role of Marine Biology in Combating Ocean Pollution},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {8},
        pages = {3882-3896},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=189783},
        abstract = {The rapid escalation of ocean pollution represents one of the most serious environmental threats of the modern era. Plastics, microplastics, nano plastics, chemical effluents, oil residues, and nutrient overloads have permeated marine ecosystems at unprecedented scales, affecting biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and human well-being. Despite global initiatives such as the United Nations Ocean Decade and UNESCO marine sustainability frameworks, existing mitigation strategies remain largely prevention-oriented and technologically driven, offering limited solutions for pollutants already embedded within marine systems.
This review critically examines ocean pollution through an integrated lens, emphasizing marine biology–based solutions as essential complements to conventional engineering and policy measures. Drawing on global scientific literature and Indian coastal contexts, the study evaluates microbial biodegradation, seaweed and macroalgal filtration, filter-feeding organisms (oysters and mussels), and ecosystem restoration (mangroves and coral reefs) as nature-based solutions (NbS). The findings indicate that marine organisms possess intrinsic capacities to filter, sequester, degrade, and stabilize pollutants while simultaneously restoring ecosystem resilience and supporting socio-economic co-benefits.
The study concludes that while marine biology alone cannot eliminate ocean pollution, its strategic integration with waste management, governance, and community participation offers a realistic and sustainable pathway for long-term ocean recovery, particularly for developing coastal nations such as India.},
        keywords = {Ocean pollution, marine biology, microplastics, bioremediation, nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, sustainability, India},
        month = {January},
        }