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Mechanochemical Formation of Poly(melamine-formaldehyde) Microplastic Fibers During Abrasion of Cleaning Sponges
Summary
Melamine foam cleaning sponges -- commonly sold as "magic erasers" -- release millions of microplastic fibers during normal use, a source of indoor microplastic pollution that was previously unrecognized. A single gram of sponge wear can produce up to 6.5 million tiny plastic fibers, and the study estimates global sponge use could release 4.9 trillion microplastic fibers total. Since these sponges are used on kitchen and household surfaces, this represents a direct route of microplastic exposure in the home.
The abrasion of synthetic textile fibers is a significant factor in the generation of environmental microplastic fibers (MPFs). The extent to which polymer sponges designed specifically for surface cleaning have a tendency to release MPFs during normal use remains unknown. Here, the tribological behaviors of melamine cleaning sponges (also known as "magic erasers") with different strut densities against metal surfaces of different roughness were investigated using a reciprocating abrader. The MPFs formed by sponge wear under various conditions were characterized in terms of their morphology, composition, and quantity. They were mainly composed of poly(melamine-formaldehyde) polymer with linear or branched fiber morphologies (10-405 μm in length), which were formed through deformation and fracture of the struts within open cells of the sponges, facilitated by friction-induced polymer decomposition. The rate and capability of MPF production generally increased with increasing roughness of the metal surface and density of the struts, respectively. The sponge wear could release 6.5 million MPFs/g, which could suggest a global overall emission of 4.9 trillion MPFs due to sponge consumption. Our study reveals a hitherto unrecognized source of the environmental MPF contamination and highlights the need to evaluate exposure risks associated with these new forms of MPFs.