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Papers
43 resultsShowing papers from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
ClearRecent Advances in the Remediation of Textile-Dye-Containing Wastewater: Prioritizing Human Health and Sustainable Wastewater Treatment
This review examines how the textile industry is a major source of wastewater containing harmful dyes and chemicals that threaten water quality and human health. It evaluates sustainable treatment approaches including bio-adsorbents, membrane technology, and advanced oxidation processes for cleaning textile wastewater and recovering useful materials.
Microfiber Emissions from Functionalized Textiles: Potential Threat for Human Health and Environmental Risks
This review examines how textiles release tiny plastic fibers during washing and wearing, making them a major source of microplastic pollution. These microfibers, often treated with chemicals like flame retardants and antimicrobials, are too small for most wastewater filters to catch. They end up in waterways, soil, and air, where they can be inhaled or ingested by humans, potentially carrying harmful chemicals into the body.
Lignocellulosic biomass from agricultural waste to the circular economy: a review with focus on biofuels, biocomposites and bioplastics
This review examines how agricultural waste rich in lignocellulose can be converted into biofuels, biocomposites, and bioplastics as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products. Recent advances in biorefinery technology have improved the ability to process plant-based waste into a range of useful materials. Replacing conventional plastics with bioplastics from agricultural waste could help reduce both plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Beyond 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid: <i>status quo</i>, environmental assessment, and blind spots of furanic monomers for bio-based polymers
This review looks at the development of furan-based chemicals from renewable sources as building blocks for bio-based plastics that could replace petroleum-derived plastics. While not directly about microplastic health effects, creating plastics from plant-based materials that are more easily recyclable or biodegradable could help reduce future microplastic pollution. The research represents one approach to redesigning plastics so they cause less environmental harm when they inevitably enter ecosystems.
Capturing colloidal nano- and microplastics with plant-based nanocellulose networks
Researchers developed a plant-based nanocellulose network that can capture even the smallest nanoplastic particles from water. The material works primarily through its moisture-absorbing properties, which are enhanced by the extremely high surface area of nanocellulose fibers. This technology could enable both better measurement of nanoplastic contamination in water and practical on-site collection of these hard-to-capture particles.
Lignin beyond the <i>status quo</i>: recent and emerging composite applications
This review examines recent advances in using lignin, a natural plant polymer, as a component in composite materials across various industries. Researchers highlight how lignin-based composites can serve as biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics in packaging, construction, and other applications. The study suggests that scaling up lignin-based materials could help reduce dependence on petroleum-derived plastics and the resulting microplastic pollution.
Sustainable food packaging: An updated definition following a holistic approach
Researchers proposed an updated, holistic definition for sustainable food packaging by analyzing 38 related terms across the food systems domain. The study found that the lack of a commonly accepted definition has led to uninformed packaging choices by stakeholders throughout the value chain, and the work aims to help producers, distributors, practitioners, and consumers make better decisions about sustainable food packaging alternatives.
Functionalized textile microplastics: A closer look at the issues, strategy, and legislation on the microplastic reduction
Researchers reviewed how textiles release microplastics into soil, water, and air while also shedding toxic chemicals like PFAS, heavy metals, and formaldehyde during production and washing, and examined the gaps in international legislation aimed at reducing microfiber pollution from the fashion industry.
Energy absorption and resilience in quasi-static loading of foam-formed cellulose fibre materials
Researchers investigated lightweight foam-formed cellulose fibre materials as potential replacements for fossil-based plastic cushioning in packaging applications. They tested a wide range of material compositions and densities, finding that fibre type and refining significantly influenced energy absorption and resilience during compression. The study demonstrates that cellulose-based foams could provide adequate mechanical protection for packaging while avoiding the microplastic pollution associated with conventional plastic foams.
Environmentally Friendly Approach to the Reduction of Microplastics during Domestic Washing: Prospects for Machine Vision in Microplastics Reduction
This review examined how textile properties and washing processes contribute to microfiber emissions, discussing chemical finishing effects, mitigation strategies, and the potential of machine vision technology for quantifying and reducing microplastic release from domestic laundry.
Rise of digital fashion and metaverse: influence on sustainability
This review explores how digital fashion and the metaverse could help address sustainability challenges in the apparel industry, which has doubled its output since 2000. Researchers examined how virtual technologies might reduce the environmental footprint of fashion by shifting some consumption to digital spaces. The study suggests that metaverse platforms could influence consumer decision-making and offer competitive advantages while potentially reducing waste and resource use.
A multifunctional biogenic films and coatings from synergistic aqueous dispersion of wood-derived suberin and cellulose nanofibers
Researchers developed multifunctional bio-based packaging films and coatings using suberin, an industrial byproduct, stabilized with amphiphilic cellulose nanofibers. The resulting materials demonstrated UV shielding and antimicrobial properties while serving as effective food packaging. The study presents a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging that could help reduce microplastic pollution from packaging degradation.
Wastewater Treatment Methods for Removal of Microplastics from Effluents
This book chapter reviewed pressure membrane technologies — including ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis — for removing microplastics and nanoplastics from wastewater effluents. The authors evaluate the performance, cost, and limitations of each membrane type and discuss how combinations of technologies can achieve higher removal efficiencies.
Identification of microplastics with cantilever enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy in infrared region
This study demonstrated cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy as a new method for identifying microplastics, finding that the technique provided sensitive, polymer-specific detection of MP particles without requiring sample preparation, offering a potential field-deployable monitoring tool.
Standardization and Regulation for the Microplastic Reduction
This paper reviewed international standardization and regulatory efforts to reduce microplastic pollution, covering UNEP initiatives, ISO standards development, and national policy frameworks. The authors identify gaps in global coordination and argue for stronger binding regulations targeting both primary and secondary microplastic sources.
From Simplistic to Systemic Sustainability in the Textile and Fashion Industry
This paper is not about microplastic pollution. It examines sustainability challenges in the textile and fashion industry, arguing that current approaches are simplistic and insufficient. It proposes systemic solutions focused on circular value retention and sufficiency-based consumption to address waste, resource depletion, and pollution from fast fashion.
LIGHT TISSUE: Development of cellulose-based optical textile sensors
Researchers developed cellulose-based optical fiber textile sensors for use in smart garments, exploring biobased alternatives to synthetic plastic optical fibers that can transmit light for sensing applications while reducing the environmental impact and microplastic pollution potential of electronic textiles.
Development and Characterization of Poly(butylene succinate‐<i>co</i>‐adipate)/Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐<i>co</i>‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) with Cowpea Lignocellulosic Fibers as a Filler via Injection Molding and Extrusion Film‐Casting
Researchers developed and characterized biodegradable composite films from poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) and polylactic acid, evaluating their mechanical properties, thermal stability, and compostability. The blended composites showed improved ductility compared to neat PLA and degraded fully under industrial composting conditions, supporting their use as sustainable packaging alternatives.
Low-Cost Biochar Adsorbents for Water Purification Including Microplastics Removal
Researchers tested steam-activated biochar made from pine and spruce bark as low-cost adsorbents for removing pollutants, including microplastics, from stormwater and wastewater. Steam activation at 800 degrees Celsius significantly increased porosity and adsorption capacity compared to unactivated biochar.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potential of European Union’s Circularity Related Targets for Plastics
Researchers modeled greenhouse gas emissions from the European Union's plastics industry and found that meeting 2025 circular economy targets — including 50% packaging recycling and more recycled content in bottles — could cut plastic-related CO2 emissions by roughly 13%, about 26 million tonnes per year.
Nonwoven Fabrics from Agricultural and Industrial Waste for Acoustic and Thermal Insulation Applications
This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it investigates the acoustic and thermal insulation properties of nonwoven fabrics made from coffee husk fibers blended with cotton and other natural fibers.
Optical cellulose fiber made from regenerated cellulose and cellulose acetate for water sensor applications
Researchers developed an optical cellulose fiber for water sensing by dry-wet spinning a regenerated cellulose core from ionic liquid solution and coating it with a cellulose acetate cladding layer. The resulting fiber guided light in the 500-1400 nm range and demonstrated clear attenuation when submerged in water, confirming its potential as a biodegradable optical sensor material.
Controlling the rheology of cellulose dissolved in 4–methylmorpholine N–oxide and tensile properties of precipitated cellulose films via mixture design
This paper is not directly about microplastics; it investigates how blending cellulose pulps of different molecular weights affects the viscosity and mechanical properties of regenerated cellulose films, with applications in fiber and film manufacturing. While regenerated cellulose fibers have been discussed in the microplastics literature, this study focuses on industrial processing rather than environmental pollution.
Highly Hydrophobic Films of Engineered Silk Proteins by a Simple Deposition Method
Researchers developed a simple deposition method to create highly hydrophobic thin films from genetically engineered spider silk proteins, achieving water contact angles above 120° by controlling solution conditions and humidity during film formation, and revealing an amphiphilic self-assembly mechanism that exposes hydrophobic protein segments at the surface.