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Fibre fragment pollution: source directed intervention through design
Summary
This study assessed the effects of temperature and salinity on the aggregation and sinking behavior of microplastic particles in seawater. Higher salinity increased aggregation and sinking rates, while temperature had more complex effects, indicating that oceanographic conditions substantially influence where in the water column microplastics are distributed.
This study analyses the difference in fibre fragment pollution generated during the laundering of woven and knit fabrics for clothing and the influence of fabric parameters on the amount of pollution released. 100% polyester single jersey knit and 2/2 twill woven fabrics were created and washed according to AATCC TM212-2021. Results indicated more tightly woven structures released over three times less pollution than looser knit structures, releasing 6.41 mg of fibre fragments per kg of woven fabric (mean ± 1.50 SD, n=8) compared to 21.21 mg of fibre fragments per kg of knit fabric (mean ± 1.80 SD, n=8). The first wash for both knit and woven fabrics shed significantly more fibre fragments than subsequent washes. By the fifth wash both fabrics released under a tenth of the amount of pollution released in the first wash. To mitigate fibre fragment pollution that is released by fabrics designed for clothing this work recommends designing out pollution using more tightly constructed fabrics. Furthermore, the implementation of technology in fabric and garment manufacturing processes (e.g., fibre catching devices) should be utilised specifically during first washes allowing pollution to be filtered from the wastewater to stem the flow of contaminants into the environment.