We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Risk assessment of natural and synthetic fibers in aquatic environment: A critical review
AI summary Read the abstract
This review assessed the ecological risks of both natural and synthetic fibers in aquatic environments, finding that nylon fibers pose the highest toxicity risk. Mollusks like mussels and oysters were the most sensitive organisms to fiber exposure. Since these shellfish are widely consumed by humans, fiber pollution in the ocean could affect seafood safety and ultimately human health.
Marine microplastics, categorized as primary and secondary, including synthetic microfibers like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP) and acrylic (PC), represent a potential environmental concern. The complex classification of these fibers, originating from diverse sources such as textiles and many others commercial goods, prompts a need for understanding their impact on aquatic organisms. This study assesses the ecological risks associated with both natural and synthetic fibers in aquatic ecosystems, focusing on toxicity data and their effects on taxonomic groups like Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Cnidaria, and Chordata. To carry out species sensitivity distribution (SSD) curves, a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature was conducted, collecting toxicity data related to various fibers. The resulting SSDs provide insights into the relative sensitivity of different taxonomic groups. The potential ecological risks were evaluated by comparing measured concentrations in diverse aquatic environments with Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC) values. The calculation of Risk Quotient (RQ) allowed to indicate areas where fibers abundance poses a potential threat to aquatic organisms. The study reveals that nylon fibers can pose the highest toxicity risk, especially in Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, Arabian Gulf and VietNam river. Mollusca emerged as particularly sensitive to different fiber types, likely due to their body structure facilitating the accumulation of microfibers. The research emphasizes the urgent need for further studies to get data to human health risk analysis and to address comprehensive environmental management strategies to address the global issue of microfiber pollution.
More Papers Like This
On the horns of a dilemma: Evaluation of synthetic and natural textile microfibre effects on the physiology of the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists studying oysters exposed to tiny textile fibers found something surprising: natural fibers like cotton and wool actually harmed the oysters' digestion and immune systems more than synthetic ones like polyester and nylon. This matters because most ocean fiber pollution isn't plastic at all, it's natural materials, suggesting that how fibers are manufactured (not just what they're made of) may drive their toxicity, which could reshape how we think about "eco-friendly" clothing and its true environmental impact.
Acute toxicity of natural and synthetic clothing fibers towards Daphnia magna: Influence of fiber type and morphology
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested the toxicity of natural and synthetic clothing fibers on small freshwater organisms (Daphnia magna) and found that nylon microfibers were acutely toxic, while natural fibers like cotton and silk caused no significant harm. Smoother fibers were more toxic than frayed ones, and the actual ingestion of fibers mattered more than how many were present in the water. These findings are important because textile fibers make up a large portion of microplastics in waterways and can enter the human food chain through contaminated aquatic organisms.
Impacts of non-petroleum and petroleum-based microfibers on aquatic organisms: a meta-analysis
AI summary Read the abstract
This meta-analysis compared the toxic effects of petroleum-based and non-petroleum microfibers on aquatic organisms. Surprisingly, natural fibers like cotton and viscose also caused significant biological harm, not just synthetic ones like polyester and nylon. This means that even "natural" textiles shed fibers that can damage aquatic ecosystems, complicating the assumption that non-synthetic clothing is automatically safer for the environment.
Microplastic fibers — Underestimated threat to aquatic organisms?
AI summary Read the abstract
This review highlights that microplastic fibers, mostly from synthetic clothing, are the most commonly found type of microplastic in water but are often overlooked in research. Studies that did examine fibers found they cause tissue damage, reduced growth, and even death in aquatic organisms, particularly smaller creatures at the base of the food chain. Since these organisms are eaten by fish that humans consume, fiber pollution could ultimately affect human health through seafood.
Toxicological impacts of microplastic fibers: A review assessing risk to human and aquatic health
AI summary Read the abstract
This scoping review synthesizes toxicological evidence on microplastic fibers specifically—the most environmentally abundant morphology—across human and aquatic health endpoints, finding that most existing research uses non-fiber shapes and calling for more fiber-specific exposure studies.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.