Cost-effective remedial to microfiber pollution from wash effluent in Kolkata and Ranaghat

Microfiber pollution from Dhobi Ghats (open air laundry centers) and commercial laundries in a north Indian city

In regions like Southeast Asia, Dhobi Ghats-traditional open-air laundromats-hold cultural significance and provide livelihoods to many people. These centers are near the riverbanks for easy access to water for washing. These Dhobi Ghats are among major sources of microfibers (MFs) in the waterbodies. However, there is no ample data that confirms their level of MF release into the waterbodies. This study reports for the first time the prevalence of microfibers (MFs) in wastewater from Dhobi Ghats in a North Indian city and comparatively assess them with the MF pollution from commercial laundries. A mean microfiber concentration of 3204 ± 270 MFs/L was observed in the discharged effluents of Dhobi Ghats, while a concentration at 36,923 ± 389 MFs/L was observed in effluents from commercial laundries. Pertinently, microfibers measuring less than 75 µm dominated in effluents of commercial laundries, accounting for 53% of the total. Conversely, microfibers within the 75-150-µm range were present in effluents of Dhobi Ghats, constituting 52%. Spectroscopic analyses by FTIR showed polyester and polyamides as the main polymers released from Dhobi Ghats. Ecological risk assessment demonstrated a potential environmental risk from the MF pollution from Dhobi Ghats and commercial laundries. The study also proposed a mitigation framework prioritizing both environmental protection and the sustenance of local livelihoods for reducing the microfiber pollution by the Dhobi Ghats.

Does drinking 1 L of water at public places in Kolkata (India) means ingesting three million microfibers? A commentary on "cost-effective remedial to microfiber pollution from wash effluent in Kolkata and Ranaghat"

The success of research in addressing a problem is heavily reliant on established methodologies and techniques from previous research findings. Therefore, precision and specificity are crucial to avoid drawing inaccurate conclusions. In this paper, we provide a critical commentary on a recently published research paper titled "Cost-effective remedial to microfiber pollution from wash effluent in Kolkata and Ranaghat" published in Chemosphere (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137548), which reports a study on microfiber pollution and its mitigation from drinking water and washing effluents in Kolkata and Ranaghat, India. Our comment focuses on the microfiber results reported by Mondal et al. (2023). Surprisingly, Mondal et al. (2023) reported microfibers in drinking water samples in higher concentration of microfibers (3000-5800 MFs/mL) compared to the washing effluents. This unusual variation in microfiber concentrations raises questions, especially considering the efficiency of conventional drinking water treatment plants in removing microfibers and exaggerated risk to public health. Based on our critical analysis of the methodology and data analysis reported by Mondal et al. (2023), we highlighted the significant errors and deficiencies present in the published article. These inaccuracies were due to inclusion of weight of suspended solids in the microfiber calculations. Our study highlighted the need of robust analytical methods for the quantification of microfibers in water sources.