Assessing students' perceptions of the harmful effects of microplastics to enhance environmental awareness: An artificial neural network-based approach

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Persian Gulf University

Abstract

This study aimed to measure the level of environmental awareness of Persian Gulf University students regarding the threats posed by microplastics. The main focus was on examining the role of university education in promoting environmental perceptions and behaviors related to excessive plastic consumption, especially single-use bags. The study, with a developmental-applied approach and a descriptive-survey method, was conducted based on data from 408 valid questionnaires from 450 simple random samples of 4,000 students at different levels. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with 23 questions that was analyzed using an artificial neural network. The results showed that university education has a 99% effect on behavioral deterrence, a 44.9% effect on reducing knowledge gaps, a 57.4% effect on strengthening deterrent regulations, and a 77.2% effect on water controls. Also, the level of education is directly related to increasing environmental awareness. Analysis of open-ended questions revealed that women were more likely to mention seafood pollution, while men were more likely to focus on pollution from water bottles and synthetic clothing. These gender differences highlight the need for targeted training. The study emphasizes the importance of cultural development, the establishment of deterrent laws, and the implementation of public information campaigns to reduce plastic consumption and replace it with sustainable packaging. The findings provide a model for regional policymaking in the sustainable management of microplastic pollution in the Persian Gulf.

Keywords

Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
Volume 5, Issue 11
November 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 18 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 12 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 15 November 2025

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