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Fernandes AN, Lara LZ, De Falco F, Turner A, Thompson RC. Effect of the age of garments used under real-life conditions on microfibre release from polyester and cotton clothing. Environ Pollut 2024; 348:123806. [PMID: 38493865 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The release of microfibres from fabrics during laundering represents an important source of plastic and natural microfibres to aquatic environments. Garment age - how long the garment has been used - could be a key factor influencing the rate of release, yet most studies of microfibre shedding have only assessed newly manufactured products. To this end, we quantified microfibre release during laundering in domestic washing machines from polyester (PES) and cotton garments (n = 38) used in real-life conditions for periods between 1 and 31 years with different use intensities. In addition, to better understand the factors involved in microfibre releases, fibre composition (different PES percentages) and type of garments (T-shirts, polo shirts, uniforms, sports shirts, and sweatshirts) were examined. All garments released microfibres during washing, while the older garments presented higher releases for clothing with a PES/cotton blend. In general, older garments (15-31 years) released nearly twice as many fibres when washed than newer garments (1-10 years). The mass of microfibres released was consistently greater in garments with a higher proportion of cotton than PES (up to 1.774 mg g-1 in 2% PES and 0.366 mg g-1 in 100% PES fabrics), suggesting that cotton might be released more readily such that the relative proportion of PES in the garments could increase over time. Additionally, SEM images showed fibre damage, with fibres from the older garments exhibiting more peeling and splitting. While it is important to note that the overall environmental footprint is undoubtedly reduced by keeping garments in use for longer periods of time, older garments were shown to release more microfibres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia N Fernandes
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, 91501-970, Brazil; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - Larissa Z Lara
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Francesca De Falco
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK; School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Andrew Turner
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Richard C Thompson
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
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2
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Allen E, Henninger CE, Garforth A, Asuquo E. Microfiber Pollution: A Systematic Literature Review to Overcome the Complexities in Knit Design to Create Solutions for Knit Fabrics. Environ Sci Technol 2024; 58:4031-4045. [PMID: 38381002 PMCID: PMC10919082 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The absence of standardized procedures to assess microfiber pollution released during laundering, alongside textile complexities, has caused incomparability and inconsistency between published methodologies, data formats, and presentation of findings. Yet, this information needs to be clear and succinct to engage producers and consumers in reducing microfiber pollution through solutions, such as eco-design. This review analyses source directed interventions through design and manufacturing parameters that can prevent or reduce microfiber shedding from knit fabrics during washing. Contradicting results are critically evaluated and future research agendas, alongside potential areas for voluntary and involuntary sustainable incentives are summarized. To do this, a systematic review was carried out, using the PRISMA approach to verify which fabrics had been investigated in terms of microfiber shedding. Using selected keywords, a total number of 32 articles were included in this review after applying carefully developed inclusion and exclusion criteria. The influence of fabric parameters such as fiber polymer, length of fibers and yarn twist alongside fabric construction parameters such as gauge of knit and knit structure are critically evaluated within the systematically selected studies. This review highlights the agreed upon fabric parameters and constructions that can be implemented to reduce microfiber pollution released from knit textiles. The complexities and inconsistencies within the findings are streamlined to highlight the necessary future research agendas. This information is critical to facilitate the adoption of cross-industry collaboration to achieve pollution reduction strategies and policies. We call for more systematic studies to assess the relationship between individual textile parameters and their influence on microfiber shedding. Additionally, studies should work toward standardization to increase comparability between studies and created more comprehensive guidelines for policy development and voluntary actions for the textile and apparel industry to participate in addressing more sustainable practises through eco-design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Allen
- Department of Materials &
Engineering, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia E Henninger
- Department of Materials &
Engineering, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Arthur Garforth
- Department of Materials &
Engineering, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Edidiong Asuquo
- Department of Materials &
Engineering, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, United Kingdom
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3
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Jabbar A, Tausif M. Investigation of ring, airjet and rotor spun yarn structures on the fragmented fibers (microplastics) released from polyester textiles during laundering. Text Res J 2023; 93:5017-5028. [PMID: 37920184 PMCID: PMC10618064 DOI: 10.1177/00405175231191785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
The release of fragmented fibers (FFs), including microplastics from textiles, during their service life is considered an established source of environmental pollution. The yarn structure is identified to affect the amount and length distribution profile of shed FFs from textiles. In the present work, the impact of yarn structures spun from 100% polyester staple fibers, using commercially relevant spun yarn technologies in the textile industry, on the release of FFs from textiles is studied. The bespoke woven fabric samples produced from three types of spun yarns, which include ring, airjet (air vortex) and rotor yarns, were subjected to an accelerated washing process, for up to five washes, to quantify shed FFs and their length distribution profile. The morphological shapes of FF ends associated with the nature of fiber damage were also investigated. The results demonstrated that airjet and rotor yarn structures had released 28% and 33% less mass of FFs, respectively, as compared to the ring yarn structure during the whole washing process. The length distribution profile identified that the ring yarn structure shed longer length FFs as compared to both airjet and rotor ones. The damaged ends highlight the importance of textile manufacturing processes on the generation of FFs. The results of this study give a better understanding of the yarn structural effect of commercially relevant technologies on shedding of FFs, which are released as a pollutant to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Jabbar
- School of Design, University of Leeds, UK
- Department of Textile Engineering, National Textile University, Pakistan
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Periyasamy AP. Environmentally Friendly Approach to the Reduction of Microplastics during Domestic Washing: Prospects for Machine Vision in Microplastics Reduction. Toxics 2023; 11:575. [PMID: 37505540 PMCID: PMC10385959 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The increase in the global population is directly responsible for the acceleration in the production as well as the consumption of textile products. The use of textiles and garment materials is one of the primary reasons for the microfibers generation and it is anticipated to grow increasingly. Textile microfibers have been found in marine sediments and organisms, posing a real threat to the environment as it is invisible pollution caused by the textile industry. To protect against the damaging effects that microplastics can have, the formulation of mitigation strategies is urgently required. Therefore, the primary focus of this review manuscript is on finding an environmentally friendly long-term solution to the problem of microfiber emissions caused by the domestic washing process, as well as gaining an understanding of the various properties of textiles and how they influence this problem. In addition, it discussed the effect that mechanical and chemical finishes have on microfiber emissions and identified research gaps in order to direct future research objectives in the area of chemical finishing processes. In addition to that, it included a variety of preventative and minimizing strategies for reduction. Last but not least, an emphasis was placed on the potential and foreseeable applications of machine vision (i.e., quantification, data storage, and data sharing) to reduce the amount of microfibers emitted by residential washing machines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravin Prince Periyasamy
- Textile and Nonwoven Materials, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1000, 02044 Espoo, Finland
- School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland
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Détrée C, Labbé C, Paul-Pont I, Prado E, El Rawke M, Thomas L, Delorme N, Le Goic N, Huvet A. On the horns of a dilemma: Evaluation of synthetic and natural textile microfibre effects on the physiology of the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Environ Pollut 2023:121861. [PMID: 37245792 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Fast fashion and our daily use of fibrous materials cause a massive release of microfibres (MF) into the oceans. Although MF pollution is commonly linked to plastics, the vast majority of collected MF are made from natural materials (e.g. cellulose). We investigated the effects of 96-h exposure to natural (wool, cotton, organic cotton) and synthetic (acrylic, nylon, polyester) textile MF and their associated chemical additives on the capacity of Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas to ingest MF and the effects of MF and their leachates on key molecular and cellular endpoints. Digestive and glycolytic enzyme activities and immune and detoxification responses were determined at cellular (haemocyte viability, ROS production, ABC pump activity) and molecular (Ikb1, Ikb2, caspase 1 and EcSOD expression) levels, considering environmentally relevant (10 MF L-1) and worst-case scenarios (10 000 MF L-1). Ingestion of natural MF perturbed oyster digestive and immune functions, but synthetic MF had few effects, supposedly related with fibers weaving rather than the material itself. No concentration effects were found, suggesting that an environmental dose of MF is sufficient to trigger these responses. Leachate exposure had minimal effects on oyster physiology. These results suggest that the manufacture of the fibres and their characteristics could be the major factors of MF toxicity and stress the need to consider both natural and synthetic particles and their leachates to thoroughly evaluate the impact of anthropogenic debris. Environmental Implication. Microfibres (MF) are omnipresent in the world oceans with around 2 million tons released every year, resulting in their ingestion by a wide array of marine organisms. In the ocean, a domination of natural MF- representing more than 80% of collected fibres-over synthetic ones was observed. Despite MF pervasiveness, research on their impact on marine organisms, is still in its infancy. The current study aims to investigate the effects of environmental concentrations of both synthetic and natural textile MF and their associated leachates on a model filter feeder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Détrée
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France.
| | - Clémentine Labbé
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Ika Paul-Pont
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Enora Prado
- Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection, Capteurs et Mesures (LDCM), Centre Bretagne, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Maria El Rawke
- Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection, Capteurs et Mesures (LDCM), Centre Bretagne, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Lena Thomas
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France; Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection, Capteurs et Mesures (LDCM), Centre Bretagne, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Nicolas Delorme
- Institut des Molécules et Matériaux Du Mans, UMR,, CNRS-Le Mans Université, Av. O. Messiaen, 72085, 6283, Le Mans, Cedex 9, France
| | - Nelly Le Goic
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Arnaud Huvet
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
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6
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Grillo JF, López-Ordaz A, Hernández AJ, Catarí E, Sabino MA, Ramos R. Synthetic microfiber emissions from denim industrial washing processes: An overlooked microplastic source within the manufacturing process of blue jeans. Sci Total Environ 2023; 884:163815. [PMID: 37121319 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, domestic laundry has been recognized as a relevant source of microfiber (MF) pollution to aquatic environments. Nevertheless, the MF emissions from industrial washing processes in real world scenarios have not been quantified. The aim of this study was to quantify the MF emissions from 3 industrial washing processes (rinse wash, acid wash and enzymatic wash) commonly employed in the manufacturing process of blue jeans. The blue jeans were characterized by ATR-FT-IR, SEM and TGA to study the morphology, the polymer chemical identity and the proportion of synthetic and natural fibers, respectively. The MF emissions were quantified as the MF mass and number emitted per washed jean. All the industrial washing processes released a majority of synthetic MF. The enzymatic wash produced the highest amount of MF, with 1423 MF per gram of fabric (MF/g) equivalent to 381.7 MF grams per gram of fabric (MF g/g), followed by the acid wash with 253 MF/g equivalent to 142.7 MF g/g and lastly the rinse wash with 133 MF/g equivalent to 62.3 MF g/g. Statistically significant differences between the MF sizes for all washing processes were found when evaluating the emissions by MF/g, however, the previous trend was not found for MF g/g. Moreover, the total MF emissions of an industrial washing process of a pair of blue jeans during its manufacture process are up to 10.95 times higher than the reported domestic washing estimates performed by the consumer available in the published literature. We demonstrate that studying industrial washing procedures of textile garments will improve the accuracy of the current estimates of MF emissions available in published reports, which will ultimately aid in the development of regulations for MF emissions at an industrial level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose F Grillo
- Biology of Organisms Department/Center for Marine Ecotoxicological Studies (CETOXMAR), Simón Bolívar University, Miranda 8900, Venezuela; B5IDA Research Group/Chemistry Department, Simón Bolívar University, Miranda 8900, Venezuela
| | - Adriana López-Ordaz
- Biology of Organisms Department/Center for Marine Ecotoxicological Studies (CETOXMAR), Simón Bolívar University, Miranda 8900, Venezuela
| | - Andrés J Hernández
- Biology of Organisms Department/Center for Marine Ecotoxicological Studies (CETOXMAR), Simón Bolívar University, Miranda 8900, Venezuela
| | - Edgar Catarí
- Laboratorio de polímeros, Centro de Química "Dr. Gabriel Chuchani", Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas IVIC, Miranda, 1020-A, Venezuela
| | - Marcos A Sabino
- B5IDA Research Group/Chemistry Department, Simón Bolívar University, Miranda 8900, Venezuela
| | - Ruth Ramos
- Biology of Organisms Department/Center for Marine Ecotoxicological Studies (CETOXMAR), Simón Bolívar University, Miranda 8900, Venezuela.
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7
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Rathinamoorthy R, Raja Balasaraswathi S. Characterization of microfibers released from chemically modified polyester fabrics - A step towards mitigation. Sci Total Environ 2023; 866:161317. [PMID: 36603614 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic textiles are one of the significant contributors to microfiber pollution, a subclass of microplastics. The impact of microfibers on the environment is irreversible. Several attempts were made to mitigate and control the microfiber release from synthetic textiles by introducing filters and laundry aids in washing machines, whereas some came up with methods to modify the textile materials to release fewer fibers. Studies have related different textile properties with their microfiber release potential. However, moisture properties, one of the essential properties that determine comfort, are not well explored. Hence, this research attempted to mitigate the microfiber release by altering the hydrophilicity of the polyester fabrics through chemical treatment (sodium hydroxide) with the hypothesis that hydrophilicity reduces the microfiber release. Both woven and knitted polyester fabrics were treated with different concentrations of the alkali solution (0.25 M, 0.50 M, 0.75 M, 1.00 M) and evaluated for their microfiber release. Treated fabrics also showed variations in their moisture and physical properties. Woven fabrics showed reduced shedding compared to knitted fabrics due to their compact structure. The results showed that the increase in alkali concentration significantly reduced the microfiber release up to 89.6 % reduction with woven fabric (from 17.37 ± 1.55 fibers/sq.cm to 2.63 ± 0.23 fibers/sq.cm) and a reduction of 68 % was noted for knitted fabric treated with 0.75 M alkali concentration (from 24.38 ± 1.30 fibers/sq.cm to 8.74 ± 1.39 fibers/sq.cm). A higher negative correlation (r = 94 % for woven and 89 % for knitted) was noted between alkali concentration and microfiber release. The alkali treatment significantly reduced the average fiber length from 450 to 230 μm, and 63-93 % of the fibers identified were in size range of 100-500 μm. When the moisture properties of the alkali-treated fabrics are concerned, an increase in moisture properties reduces the microfiber release. Water contact angle and absorbency time positively correlated with microfiber release. However, the study did not show any significant effect of moisture regain percentage and vertical wicking on microfiber shedding. Except for abrasion resistance, the physical properties of alkali-treated fabric did not show any relationship with microfiber release. The study noted the order of factors influencing the microfiber release of polyester fabric as fabric structural parameters (Woven/Knits) > fabric hydrophilicity > fabric physical property.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Rathinamoorthy
- Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, India.
| | - S Raja Balasaraswathi
- Department of Fashion Technology, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru, India
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8
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Hazlehurst A, Tiffin L, Sumner M, Taylor M. Quantification of microfibre release from textiles during domestic laundering. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2023; 30:43932-43949. [PMID: 36680713 PMCID: PMC10076413 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25246-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Domestic laundering of textiles is being increasingly recognised as a significant source of microfibre pollution. Reliable quantification of microfibre release is necessary to understanding the scale of this issue and to evaluate the efficacy of potential solutions. This study explores three major factors that influence the quantification of microfibres released from the domestic laundering of textiles: test methodologies, laundering variables, and fabric variables.A review of different test methods is presented, highlighting the variation in quantification created by using different methodologies. A reliable and reproducible method for quantifying microfibre release from domestic laundering is used to explore the impact of laundering and fabric variables experimentally. The reproducibility and reliability of the method used was validated through inter-laboratory trials and has informed the development of European and international testing standards. Our results show that increasing the wash liquor ratio and wash agitation results in a greater mass of microfibres released, but we found that fabric variables can have a greater influence on microfibre release than the laundering variables tested in this study. However, no single fabric variable appeared to have a dominant influence.Using the data obtained and assumptions for washing load size and frequency, results were scaled to reflect possible annual microfibre release from untreated domestic laundering in the UK. Depending on different laundering and fabric variables, these values range from 6490 tonnes to 87,165 tonnes of microfibre discharged in the UK each year.
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9
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Shi C, Wang Q, Li D, Zeng B, Liu Q, Cui Y, Wang J, Wang X. Inorganic composite coagulant for wool scouring wastewater treatment: performance, kinetics and coagulation mechanism. Sep Purif Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2023.123482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
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10
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Le LT, Nguyen KQN, Nguyen PT, Duong HC, Bui XT, Hoang NB, Nghiem LD. Microfibers in laundry wastewater: Problem and solution. Sci Total Environ 2022; 852:158412. [PMID: 36055511 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Data corroborated in this study highlights laundry wastewater as a primary source of microfibers (MFs) in the aquatic environment. MFs can negatively impact the aquatic ecosystem via five possible pathways, namely, acting as carriers of other contaminats, physical damage to digestive systems of aquatic organisms, blocking the digestive tract, releasing toxic chemicals, and harbouring invasive and noxious plankton and bacteria. This review shows that small devices to capture MFs during household laundry activities are simple to use and affordable at household level in developed countries. However, these low cost and small devices are unrealiable and can only achieve up to 40 % MF removal efficiency. In line filtration devices can achieve higher removal efficiency under well maintained condition but their performance is still limited compared to over 98 % MF removal by large scale centralized wastewater treatment. These results infer that effort to increase sanitation coverage to ensure adequate wastewater treatment prior to environmental discharge is likely to be more cost effective than those small devices for capturing MFs. This review also shows that natural fabrics would entail significantly less environmental consequences than synthetic materials. Contribution from the fashion industry to increase the share of natural frabics in the current textile market can also reduce the loading of plastic MFs in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linh-Thy Le
- Faculty of Public Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP), Ward 11, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City 72714, Viet Nam; Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet nam
| | - Kim-Qui N Nguyen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet nam
| | - Phuong-Thao Nguyen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet nam
| | - Hung C Duong
- Center for Technology in Water and Wastewater, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Environmental Engineering, Le Quy Don Technical University, 236 Hoang Quoc Viet, Co Nhue, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Xuan-Thanh Bui
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet nam
| | - Ngoc Bich Hoang
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Long D Nghiem
- Center for Technology in Water and Wastewater, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Institute of Environmental Sciences, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
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Nadeem S, Bukhari M, Javed M, Iqbal S, Ahmad MN, Alrbyawi H, Al-Anazy MM, Elkaeed EB, Hegazy HH, Qayyum MA, Pashameah RA, Alzahrani E, Farouk AE. Cation Incorporation and Synergistic Effects on the Characteristics of Sulfur-Doped Manganese Ferrites S@Mn(Fe(2)O(4)) Nanoparticles for Boosted Sunlight-Driven Photocatalysis. Molecules 2022; 27. [PMID: 36431778 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In the present work, sulfur-doped manganese ferrites S@Mn(Fe2O4) nanoparticles were prepared by using the sol-gel and citrate method. The concentration of sulfur varied from 1 to 7% by adding Na2S. The samples were characterized by performing Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Visible). The synthesized sulfur-doped manganese ferrites were applied to evaluate the photocatalytic degradation of the dyes. Further, the degradation studies revealed that the nanoparticles successfully degraded the methylene blue dye by adding a 0.006 g dose under the sunlight. The sulfur-doped manganese ferrite nanoparticles containing 3% sulfur completely degraded the dye in 2 h and 15 min in aqueous medium. Thus, the ferrite nanoparticles were found to be promising photocatalyst materials and could be employed for the degradation of other dyes in the future.
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12
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Meier P, Zabara M, Hirsch C, Gogos A, Tscherrig D, Richner G, Nowack B, Wick P. Evaluation of fiber and debris release from protective COVID-19 mask textiles and in vitro acute cytotoxicity effects. Environ Int 2022; 167:107364. [PMID: 35853388 PMCID: PMC9212752 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Since the start of the current COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time a significant fraction of the world's population cover their respiratory system for an extended period with mostly medical facemasks and textile masks. This new situation raises questions about the extent of mask related debris (fibers and particles) being released and inhaled and possible adverse effects on human health. This study aimed to quantify the debris release from a textile-based facemask in comparison to a surgical mask and a reference cotton textile using both liquid and air extraction. Under liquid extractions, cotton-based textiles released up to 29'452 ± 1'996 fibers g-1 textile while synthetic textiles released up to 1'030 ± 115 fibers g-1 textile. However, when the masks were subjected to air-based extraction scenarios, only a fraction (0.1-1.1%) of this fiber amount was released. Several metals including copper (up to 40.8 ± 0.9 µg g-1) and iron (up to 7.0 ± 0.3 µg g-1) were detected in acid dissolved textiles. Additionally the acute in vitro toxicity of size-fractionated liquid extracts (below and above 0.4 µm) were assessed on human alveolar basal epithelial cells. The current study shows no acute cytotoxicity response for all the analyzed facemasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Meier
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland.
| | - Mahsa Zabara
- SVP Technology/Science and Consumer Interface, Livinguard AG, Cham 6330, Switzerland.
| | - Cordula Hirsch
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland.
| | - Alexander Gogos
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland.
| | - Dominic Tscherrig
- Federal Office for Civil Protection FOCP, Spiez Laboratory, Spiez 3700, Switzerland.
| | - Gilles Richner
- Federal Office for Civil Protection FOCP, Spiez Laboratory, Spiez 3700, Switzerland.
| | - Bernd Nowack
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland.
| | - Peter Wick
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland.
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Kwon S, Zambrano MC, Venditti RA, Frazier R, Zambrano F, Gonzalez RW, Pawlak JJ. Microfiber shedding from nonwoven materials including wipes and meltblown nonwovens in air and water environments. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:60584-60599. [PMID: 35420340 PMCID: PMC9008397 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20053-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nonwoven products are widely used in disposable products, such as wipes, diapers, and masks. Microfibers shed from these products in the aquatic and air environment have not been fully described. In the present study, 15 commercial single-use nonwoven products (wipes) and 16 meltblown nonwoven materials produced in a pilot plant were investigated regarding their microfiber generation in aquatic and air environments and compared to selected textile materials and paper tissue materials. Microfibers shed in water were studied using a Launder Ometer equipment (1-65 mg of microfibers per gram material), and microfibers shed in air were evaluated using a dusting testing machine that shakes a piece of the nonwoven back and forth (~ 4 mg of microfibers per gram material). The raw materials and bonding technologies affected the microfiber generation both in water and air conditions. When the commercial nonwovens contained less natural cellulosic fibers, less microfibers were generated. Bonding with hydroentangling and/or double bonding by two different bonding methods could improve the resistance to microfiber generation. Meltblown nonwoven fabrics generated fewer microfibers compared to the other commercial nonwovens studied here, and the manufacturing factors, such as DCD (die-to-collector distance) and air flow rate, affected the tendency of microfiber generation. The results suggest that it is possible to control the tendency of microfiber shedding through the choice of operating parameters during nonwoven manufacturing processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soojin Kwon
- Department of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Marielis C Zambrano
- Department of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Richard A Venditti
- Department of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Ryen Frazier
- Department of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Franklin Zambrano
- Department of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Ronalds W Gonzalez
- Department of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Joel J Pawlak
- Department of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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14
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Rathinamoorthy R, Balasaraswathi SR. Disposable tri-layer masks and microfiber pollution - An experimental analysis on dry and wet state emission. Sci Total Environ 2022; 816:151562. [PMID: 34767889 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The use of masks as a personal protective material is the new normal in the post-pandemic. The higher use of masks triggers immediate disposal of synthetic textile fibers leading to environmental pollution. This research is aimed to analyse the level of mask-related pollution and its impact on microfiber release. Microfiber emission characteristics of the tri-layer nonwoven mask (Polypropylene-based disposable mask) are analysed in the dry and wet stages. The individual layers of the mask and the entire mask are evaluated by subjecting them to static immersion and mechanical agitation against freshwater and seawater in the wet stage. The results of the study showed a higher microfiber shedding at dry state (14,031.97-177,601.58 fibers/mask) than the wet state (2557.65-22,525.89 fibers/mask). The increased fuzz formation in the dry state than the wet state is noted as the main reason. In the case of wet state, when the freshwater and seawater are compared, both in a static and agitated state, seawater degraded the mask highly (3358.03-27,348.9 fibers/mask) than the freshwater (1757.26-17,702.86 fibers/mask). Higher salinity and density of the seawater were noted as influencing parameters over the freshwater. When the results of naturally weathered masks are compared with the new mask, weathered masks released significantly (p < 0.05) higher amount of fibers at the evaluation stages. Similar to the new masks, the weathered masks also showed a higher amount of shedding in the dry state and presence of seawater. When the individual layers of the disposable masks were evaluated, at dry and wet states, all the layers showed a similar shedding (no significant difference between individual layers) in the case of a new mask. Whereas, after weathering, a significant amount of higher shedding (p < 0.05) is noted in the middle layer of the mask followed by the outer and inner layer. The difference in fiber composition is noted as the main reason for the strength difference of the nonwoven structure. Statistical analysis confirmed the significant impact of the natural weathering process and seawater on the microfiber shedding.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Rathinamoorthy
- Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, India.
| | - S Raja Balasaraswathi
- Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, India
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16
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Chen Y, Chen Q, Zhang Q, Zuo C, Shi H. An Overview of Chemical Additives on (Micro)Plastic Fibers: Occurrence, Release, and Health Risks. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 2022; 260:22. [PMCID: PMC9748405 DOI: 10.1007/s44169-022-00023-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Plastic fibers are ubiquitous in daily life with additives incorporated to improve their performance. Only a few restrictions exist for a paucity of common additives, while most of the additives used in textile industry have not been clearly regulated with threshold limits. The production of synthetic fibers, which can shed fibrous microplastics easily (< 5 mm) through mechanical abrasion and weathering, is increasing annually. These fibrous microplastics have become the main composition of microplastics in the environment. This review focuses on additives on synthetic fibers; we summarized the detection methods of additives, compared concentrations of different additive types (plasticizers, flame retardants, antioxidants, and surfactants) on (micro)plastic fibers, and analyzed their release and exposure pathways to environment and human beings. Our prediction shows that the amounts of predominant additives (phthalates, organophosphate esters, bisphenols, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and nonylphenol ethoxylates) released from clothing microplastic fibers (MFs) are estimated to reach 35, 10, 553, 0.4, and 568 ton/year to water worldwide, respectively; and 119, 35, 1911, 1.4, and 1965 ton/year to air, respectively. Human exposure to MF additives via inhalation is estimated to be up to 4.5–6440 µg/person annually for the above five additives, and via ingestion 0.1–204 µg/person. Notably, the release of additives from face masks is nonnegligible that annual human exposure to phthalates, organophosphate esters, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from masks via inhalation is approximately 491–1820 µg/person. This review helps understand the environmental fate and potential risks of released additives from (micro)plastic fibers, with a view to providing a basis for future research and policy designation of textile additives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuye Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Qiqing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241 China
- Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai Science and Technology Committee, Shanghai, China
| | - Qun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Chencheng Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Huahong Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241 China
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Zhang W, Wu J, Xiao J, Zhu M, Yang H. Compatibility and Washing Performance of Compound Protease Detergent. Applied Sciences 2022; 12:150. [DOI: 10.3390/app12010150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Protease is the main enzyme of detergent. Through the combination of different proteases and the combination of protease and detergent additives, it can adapt to different washing conditions to improve the washing effect. In this experiment, whiteness determination, microscope scanning, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to detect the whiteness values of the cloth pieces before and after washing, as well as the stain residue between the fibers on the surface of the cloth pieces. The protease detergent formula with better decontamination and anti-deposition effects was selected. The combination of alkaline protease, keratinase, and trypsin was cost-effective in removing stains. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the molecular weight of the protein significantly changed after adding the enzyme preparation during washing, and the molecular weight of the protein was directly proportional to protein redeposition. The composite protease had a better comprehensive decontamination effect, and when compatible with suitable surfactants, anti-redeposition agents, and water-softening agents, the compound protease detergent exhibited a stronger decontamination ability than commercial detergents.
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Abstract
Fiber fragments are one of the dominant types of microplastics in environmental samples, suggesting that synthetic textiles are a potential source of microplastics to the environment. Whereas the release of microplastics during washing of textiles is already well studied, much less is known about the release during abrasion processes. The abrasion of textiles may induce fibrillation of fibers and therefore result in the formation of much finer fiber fragments. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of abrasion of synthetic textiles on the formation of microplastic fibers and fibrils. Fleece and interlock textile swatches made of polyester were abraded using abrasion tests with a Martindale tester. The microplastic fibers and fibrils formed during abrasion were extracted from the textiles and characterized in terms of number, length, and diameter. The microplastic fibers demonstrated the same diameter than the fibers found in the textiles (fleece: 12.3 μm; interlock: 12.7 μm), while fibrils with a much smaller diameter (fleece: 2.4 μm; interlock: 4.9 μm) were also found. The number of fibrils formed during abrasion in both textiles was higher than the number of microplastic fibers. The majority of the extracted microplastic fibers had a length between 200 and 800 μm, while most fibrils were between 30 and 150 μm, forming two distinct fiber fragment morphologies. The number of microplastic fibers formed during abrasion was 5 to 30 times higher than the number of microplastic fibers that could be extracted from non-abraded samples. The number of fibrils increased after abrasion by more than a factor of 200 for both fabric types. The fibrils formed during abrasion have diameters that fall within the inhalable size for airborne particles. The potential release of fibrils into air during wear of textiles thus raises questions about the human exposure to these materials. Since the Martindale tester can simulate a daily application scenario of textiles over a prolonged period only in a limited way, future studies are needed to establish the correlation between the test results with a real-world scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Cai
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland
| | - Denise M Mitrano
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
- Process Engineering Department, Eawag-Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Rudolf Hufenus
- Laboratory for Advanced Fibers, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Nowack
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland
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Gaylarde C, Baptista-Neto JA, da Fonseca EM. Plastic microfibre pollution: how important is clothes' laundering? Heliyon 2021; 7:e07105. [PMID: 34095591 PMCID: PMC8167216 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastic microfibre pollution produced by domestic and commercial laundering of synthetic textiles has recently been incriminated in the press and the scientific literature as the main source (up to 90%) of primary microplastics in the oceans. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most common microfibre encountered. This review aims to provide updated information on worldwide plastic microfibre pollution caused by textile laundering and some possibilities for its control. Release of microfibres during domestic washing and tumble drying, their fate in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and the oceans, and their environmental effects on the aquatic biota are discussed, as well as potential control methods at the levels of textile modification and laundry procedures. Environmental effects on aquatic biota are important; as a result of their small size and length-to-diameter ratio, microfibers are more effectively incorporated by organisms than other plastic particle groups. Simulation laundering studies may be useful in the development of a Standard Test Method and modification of WWTPs may reduce microfibre release into aquatic systems. However, improvements will be necessary in textile design and appliance design, and recommendations should be made to consumers about reducing their personal impact on the environment through their laundering choices, which can include appliances, fabric care products and washing conditions. Official regulation, such as that introduced recently by the French government, may be necessary to reduce plastic microfibre release from clothes' laundering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Gaylarde
- University of Oklahoma, Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, 770 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Jose Antonio Baptista-Neto
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Departamento de Geologia e Geofísica, Av. General Milton Tavares de Souza, s/n, 4 Andar, Campus da Praia Vermelha, 24210-346, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
| | - Estefan Monteiro da Fonseca
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Departamento de Geologia e Geofísica, Av. General Milton Tavares de Souza, s/n, 4 Andar, Campus da Praia Vermelha, 24210-346, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
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