Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

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

Researchers investigated how environmental conditions such as moist heat, high-temperature drying, and abrasion affect the release of microplastic fibers from synthetic textiles. The study found that these aging processes significantly increased fiber shedding, highlighting synthetic clothing as a major ongoing source of microplastic contamination in water environments.

2024 Research Square (Research Square) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterisation of microplastic fibres and their degradation under environmental conditions

This study investigated how UV radiation and mechanical stress degrade common synthetic microfibers including polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which represent the largest fraction of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments. Understanding how fibers degrade helps predict their persistence and how their physical properties change as they age in the environment.

2019 Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Simulated degradation of differently manufactured polyester fibres released from laundry

This study examined how simulated UV and mechanical degradation affects the release and properties of polyester microfibers from differently manufactured fabrics during laundry, finding that fiber structure and manufacturing method influence fragmentation rates and fragment characteristics.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Characterization of fiber fragments released from polyester textiles during UV weathering

Researchers characterized fiber fragments released from polyester textiles during UV weathering, identifying weathering as an additional pathway for microplastic fiber generation beyond the commonly studied laundry washing mechanism.

2023 Environmental Pollution 51 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Synthetic Fabrics on the Release of Microplastics during Washing and Drying

Researchers investigated how the physical and chemical properties of synthetic fabrics influence microplastic fiber release during washing and drying, finding that fabric construction, fiber type, and surface treatment are key determinants of the quantity and characteristics of released microplastic particles.

2022 Polymers 26 citations
Article Tier 2

UV degradation of natural and synthetic microfibers causes fragmentation and release of polymer degradation products and chemical additives

Researchers exposed natural and synthetic microfibers to UV radiation and found that degradation caused the fibers to fragment into smaller particles while releasing polymer breakdown products and chemical additives. Polyester and polyamide fibers showed distinct degradation patterns, with different chemicals leaching depending on polymer type. The study highlights that microfiber degradation in the environment creates secondary pollution through both physical fragmentation and chemical release.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 267 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic fibres from synthetic textiles: Environmental degradation and additive chemical content

Researchers studied how common synthetic textile fibers — polyester, polyamide, and polyacrylonitrile — degrade in seawater and freshwater under UV light exposure. They found that these fibers release chemical additives as they break down, with polyester and polyamide releasing particularly concerning levels of plastic-related chemicals into the surrounding water.

2020 Environmental Pollution 304 citations
Article Tier 2

Joint aerobic biodegradation of synthetic and natural textile microfibers and laundry surfactants

Researchers tested the biodegradation of cotton and polyester microfibers, alone and in combination with common laundry surfactants, to understand how these pollutants interact in aquatic environments. Cotton microfibers were partially biodegradable at about 75% mineralization, while polyester showed no biodegradation. Importantly, the presence of polyester microfibers inhibited surfactant breakdown, and certain combinations delayed cotton degradation, suggesting that real-world mixtures of textile microfibers and detergent chemicals may persist longer in the environment than expected.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics release from polyester fabrics: The impact of different washing conditions

Researchers assessed microplastic fiber release from polyester and polyamide fabrics during simulated washing, finding that fabric construction, fiber type, and washing conditions all influenced the quantity of fibers released. The study provides data to help quantify the contribution of laundry to microplastic emissions in wastewater.

2020 Environmental Pollution 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Wastewater by Washing Polyester Fabrics

Researchers investigated microplastic fiber release from polyester fabrics during washing, characterizing the quantity and types of microplastics generated and their potential pathway into wastewater systems as a significant source of environmental microplastic pollution.

2022 Materials 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of microplastic release caused by textile washing processes of synthetic fabrics

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.

2017 Environmental Pollution 686 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying shedding of synthetic fibers from textiles; a source of microplastics released into the environment

Researchers quantified the shedding of synthetic fibers from textiles during simulated washing, finding that fabric type, age, and wash conditions significantly affected fiber release, and establishing a quantitative basis for estimating textile-derived microplastic inputs.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 590 citations
Article Tier 2

Aging of textile-based microfibers in both air and water environments

Researchers aged textile-based microfibers under controlled air and water environments over extended periods, characterizing changes in surface chemistry, mechanical properties, and morphology, finding that degradation pathways differed substantially between air and aquatic conditions.

2025 Water Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Simulated degradation of differently manufactured polyester fibres released from laundry

This study examined how simulated degradation affects polyester microfibers from different fabric manufacturing methods, finding that woven versus knitted structures release fibers with distinct morphologies and at different rates under UV and mechanical stress.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Effect of Washing Process on the Release of Microplastics from Polyester Fabrics

Researchers conducted an analytical evaluation of microplastic and fiber release from tri-color pile polyester fabrics during washing with detergent, employing multiple characterization methods on the fabric, wastewater, and filter cake before and after cryogenization to assess defragmentation and fiber shedding.

2025 Separations
Article Tier 2

Photo aging of polyester microfiber in freshwater and seawater environments: kinetics, mechanisms, and influencing factors

UV aging of polyester (PET) microfibers accelerates faster in seawater than in freshwater, driven by reactive ions like nitrate, bromide, and chloride. This matters because faster aging in marine environments means PET microfibers — the most abundant microplastic in aquatic systems — break down more rapidly into smaller, potentially more bioavailable nanoplastic fragments in the ocean.

2026 Emerging Contaminants and Environmental Health
Article Tier 2

Formation of nanoparticles during accelerated UV degradation of fleece polyester textiles

Researchers investigated how UV degradation of fleece polyester textiles releases nanoparticles, finding that sunlight exposure generates significant quantities of nanoscale plastic particles. Both laboratory-simulated and real-world weathering conditions produced nanoparticle release, with particle counts increasing over time. The findings suggest that textile degradation from sun exposure, not just washing, is an important but overlooked source of nanoplastic pollution.

2024 NanoImpact 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Artificial Ageing on Microfibre Release from Polyester Textiles

This study assessed how artificial ageing through UV exposure and repeated washing affects microfiber release from polyester textiles, finding that ageing significantly increases the number and changes the characteristics of shed microfibers.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Formation of microplastic fibers and fibrils during abrasion of a representative set of 12 polyester textiles

Abrasion testing of representative polyester fabrics generated microplastic fibers and fibrils, with fiber characteristics reflecting the mechanical and chemical properties of the parent textile. The findings suggest that real-life wear and abrasion during use, not just laundering, is a significant pathway for microfiber release from synthetic textiles.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 56 citations
Article Tier 2

The contribution of washing processes of synthetic clothes to microplastic pollution

Real-scale wash trials of synthetic commercial garments measured microfiber release per wash, finding that release varied significantly with textile type, structure, and age, with some items releasing over 700,000 fibers per wash. The study quantifies the contribution of synthetic textile washing to microplastic pollution and identifies fiber characteristics that govern release rates.

2019 Scientific Reports 752 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Release from Domestic Washing

Researchers measured microfiber release from domestic washing of textile materials across five washing cycles, finding that the amount of microplastic fiber shed varied significantly with washing conditions and fiber type, contributing to aquatic microplastic pollution.

2021 European Journal of Science and Technology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Laundry Care Regimes: Do the Practices of Keeping Clothes Clean Have Different Environmental Impacts Based on the Fibre Content?

This study examined how different textile fiber contents influence the environmental impacts of clothing care, finding that synthetic fiber garments generate more microplastic shedding during washing while natural fibers have other environmental trade-offs. Laundry care choices and fiber content both affect how much microplastic pollution is released into wastewater from household textile washing.

2020 Sustainability 53 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Chlorinated Water and Sun Exposure on the Durability and Performance of Swimwear Materials

Researchers studied how chlorinated pool water and sun exposure degrade swimwear materials made from blends of polyamide, polyester, and elastane. They found that these aging conditions caused significant deterioration of the fabrics' mechanical properties and durability over time. The findings are relevant to microplastic pollution because degrading swimwear releases synthetic fibers into pool and natural water environments.

2024 Polymers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Fibras Têxteis Sintéticas E a Liberação De Microplásticos: Uma Revisão

This review synthesizes published research on the release of microplastic fibers from synthetic textiles during domestic laundering, examining the mechanisms, quantities, and environmental fate of fiber shedding into waterways and the resulting risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health.

2022 MIX Sustentável 2 citations