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Evaluation of microplastic release caused by textile washing processes of synthetic fabrics
Environmental Pollution2017
686 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Raquel Villalba,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Raquel Villalba,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Maurizio Avella
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Gennaro Gentile,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Àngels Rovira,
Maria Pia Gullo,
Maria Pia Gullo,
Àngels Rovira,
Maria Pia Gullo,
Maria Pia Gullo,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Francesca De Falco,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Francesca De Falco,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Maurizio Avella
Maurizio Avella
Maurizio Avella
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Emilia Di Pace,
Gennaro Gentile,
Emilia Di Pace,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Laura Gelabert,
Laura Gelabert,
Francesca De Falco,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Francesca De Falco,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Francesca De Falco,
Francesca De Falco,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Emilia Di Pace,
Maurizio Avella
Maurizio Avella
Maurizio Avella
Mariacristina Cocca,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Emilia Di Pace,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Francesca De Falco,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Maurizio Avella
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Maurizio Avella
Mariacristina Cocca,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Maurizio Avella
Emilia Di Pace,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Gennaro Gentile,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Laura Gelabert,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Gennaro Gentile,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Laura Gelabert,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Gennaro Gentile,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Maurizio Avella
Raffaella Mossotti,
Claudio Tonin,
Gennaro Gentile,
Claudio Tonin,
Claudio Tonin,
Gennaro Gentile,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Maurizio Avella
Maurizio Avella
Maurizio Avella
Marolda Brouta-Agnésa,
Maurizio Avella
Claudio Tonin,
Claudio Tonin,
Marolda Brouta-Agnésa,
Gennaro Gentile,
Claudio Tonin,
Gennaro Gentile,
Àngels Rovira,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Maurizio Avella
Alessio Montarsolo,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Francesca De Falco,
Àngels Rovira,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Rosa Escudero,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Raquel Villalba,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Gennaro Gentile,
Raquel Villalba,
Raffaella Mossotti,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Francesca De Falco,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Alessio Montarsolo,
Sara Gavignano,
Sara Gavignano,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Claudio Tonin,
Claudio Tonin,
Mariacristina Cocca,
Maurizio Avella
Summary
This study evaluated microplastic fiber release caused by washing synthetic fabrics, finding that washing processes generate substantial quantities of microfibers and that fabric construction affects release rates, with implications for filtering strategies.
A new and more alarming source of marine contamination has been recently identified in micro and nanosized plastic fragments. Microplastics are difficult to see with the naked eye and to biodegrade in marine environment, representing a problem since they can be ingested by plankton or other marine organisms, potentially entering the food web. An important source of microplastics appears to be through sewage contaminated by synthetic fibres from washing clothes. Since this phenomenon still lacks of a comprehensive analysis, the objective of this contribution was to investigate the role of washing processes of synthetic textiles on microplastic release. In particular, an analytical protocol was set up, based on the filtration of the washing water of synthetic fabrics and on the analysis of the filters by scanning electron microscopy. The quantification of the microfibre shedding from three different synthetic fabric types, woven polyester, knitted polyester, and woven polypropylene, during washing trials simulating domestic conditions, was achieved and statistically analysed. The highest release of microplastics was recorded for the wash of woven polyester and this phenomenon was correlated to the fabric characteristics. Moreover, the extent of microfibre release from woven polyester fabrics due to different detergents, washing parameters and industrial washes was evaluated. The number of microfibres released from a typical 5 kg wash load of polyester fabrics was estimated to be over 6,000,000 depending on the type of detergent used. The usage of a softener during washes reduces the number of microfibres released of more than 35%. The amount and size of the released microfibres confirm that they could not be totally retained by wastewater treatments plants, and potentially affect the aquatic environment.