Innovative Approaches to Mitigate Microfibre Pollution

Microfibres (MFs) represent a major source of microplastics in aquatic environments. Mechanical and chemical stresses during a washing process in a laundry machine or during wearing induce MFs detachment from the yarn and, through the wastewater or atmosphere fallout, they end up in marine ecosystems. In order to mitigate the release of MFs, it is necessary to act directly on fabrics before their detachment. In this respect, this chapter will review some approaches developed to mitigate MF pollution. The release of MFs could be prevented by an appropriate design of the textile structure and yarns, and by applying innovative finishing treatments on the textile surface. Moreover, mitigation measures can be applied also during the washing processes, by choosing the detergent, washing program and by using fibre capturing devices and filters. Some approaches available up to now to mitigate MF pollution were reviewed, exploring their pros and cons and consequently highlighting the researches and actions still missing.