Effects and Characterization of Environmental Conditions on Microplastic Fibers Release from Synthetic Textile

Abstract Microplastic fibers account for approximately 40–90% of the total amount of microplastics in water environments and sediments. Synthetic textiles are susceptible to aging as a result of prolonged exposure to moist heat, high-temperature drying, and abrasion, resulting in the release of microplastic fibers. However, studies on the effects of environmental conditions on the release of microplastic fibers remains limited. Herein, the influence of wet heat, high-temperature drying, and abrasion on the release of microplastic fibers from six different synthetic textiles was studied. The results demonstrate that the average release of microplastic fibers after undergoing abrasion, wet-heat treatment, and drying was found to be 3.7–10.5 times, 6.5–7.7 times, and 8.4–14.6 times higher, respectively, in comparison to standard washing procedures. The number of3523-8172 microplastic fibers for per gram of acrylic fabric was after undergoing various treatments. Additionally, the quantity of microplastic fibers released from polyester fabric during the first wash was 5.15–37.6 times greater than those released during the fifth wash. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the release of microplastic fibers from synthetic textiles, as well as the influence of aging on such releases. This provides a solid foundation for the development of measures to mitigate the release of these pollutants into the environment.