Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials

Catalytic hydrothermal carbonization using iron-nickel catalysts successfully converted cotton and polyester textile microfibers into carbon nanostructures including carbon nanotubes, offering a circular economy pathway for the 0.28 million tons of microfibers shed annually during laundry.

2024 iScience 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of microfiber and surfactants from household laundry washing effluents by powdered activated carbon: kinetics and isotherm studies

Researchers tested powdered activated carbon as a way to remove microfibers and surfactants from household laundry wastewater. They found that activated carbon effectively adsorbed both contaminants, with the process following predictable chemical patterns. The study suggests that activated carbon filtration could be a practical solution for reducing the microfiber and chemical pollution that laundry discharge contributes to waterways.

2023 Water Science & Technology 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Charting a path to catalytic upcycling of plastic micro/nano fiber pollution from textiles to produce carbon nanomaterials and turquoise hydrogen

Researchers demonstrated proof-of-concept for catalytic upcycling of polyester and cotton textile-derived microfibers into structured solid carbon products, using a defined fiber feedstock to establish a pathway for converting fiber pollution into value-added carbon materials.

2023 RSC Sustainability 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel Treatment to Immobilize and Use Textiles Microfibers Retained in Polymeric Filters through Their Incorporation in Composite Materials

Researchers developed a novel method to immobilize textile microfibers captured in polymeric washing machine filters by incorporating them into composite polymer matrices, transforming a waste microplastic stream into a potentially reusable construction or industrial material rather than releasing it to the environment.

2022 Polymers 2 citations
Article Tier 2

In-situ electrochemical oxidation: a revolutionary approach to degrading synthetic microfibers in laundry effluent

Researchers developed an in-situ electrochemical oxidation technique to degrade synthetic microfibers directly from washing machine effluent, eliminating the need for consumable mechanical filters that generate secondary waste. The method achieved effective microfiber degradation at the source without producing additional solid waste streams.

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

Improvement of a microfiber filter for domestic washing machines

Researchers improved a microfiber filter designed for domestic washing machines to more effectively capture synthetic microfibers and microplastics released during laundry cycles, testing filter performance across different fabric types and washing conditions. The enhanced filter design achieved higher capture rates of microfibers compared to existing solutions, representing a practical household-level intervention to reduce microplastic emissions to wastewater.

2022 Bioinspiration & Biomimetics 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of MiniPlast Filters for Microplastic Removal from Laundry Wastewater

Researchers evaluated MiniPlast in-washing machine filters for capturing synthetic microfibers released during laundry cycles, finding that the filters significantly reduced microplastic emissions in wastewater and could serve as a practical household intervention for reducing microfiber pollution.

2025 Jurnal Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Alam dan Lingkungan (Journal of Natural Resources and Environmental Management)
Article Tier 2

A new strategy for using lint-microfibers generated from clothes dryer as a sustainable source of renewable energy

This study converted lint microfibers generated by clothes dryers — which are a form of primary microplastic — into energy products through pyrolysis. This approach could both reduce the environmental release of microfibers from laundry and recover useful energy from a waste material that currently enters sewage systems and waterways.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

In-situ electrochemical oxidation: a revolutionary approach to degrading synthetic microfibers in laundry effluent

Researchers developed an in-situ electrochemical oxidation technique for degrading synthetic microfibers from washing machine effluent, offering an alternative to conventional mechanical filters that require periodic disposal. The method demonstrated effective degradation of microfibers at the source without generating secondary waste.

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

Quantification of different microplastic fibres discharged from textiles in machine wash and tumble drying

Researchers quantified synthetic microplastic fibre emissions from five sequential machine washes and tumble dryings of synthetic fabrics, finding that fibre release decreased with successive washes and that two commercial in-machine fibre traps varied substantially in their collection efficiency, with implications for reducing domestic microplastic emissions.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 105 citations
Article Tier 2

Textile Microplastics in Wastewater: A Critical Review of Removal and Carbonization Technologies

This review study summarizes research on tiny plastic particles from clothes that get released when we wash synthetic fabrics like polyester, which then end up in our water systems. While water treatment plants can remove many of these microplastics, large amounts still build up in sewage, potentially contaminating our environment and food chain over time. Scientists are developing new ways to not only remove these plastic particles but also convert them into useful materials that can help clean polluted water.

2026 C – Journal of Carbon Research
Article Tier 2

Remediation technology of microfibers from washing machine effuents

Researchers developed a treatment method combining Fenton oxidation and electro-sorption to remove polyester microfibers from washing machine wastewater. Washing synthetic clothing is a major source of microplastic fiber pollution, and effective wastewater treatment at the machine level could significantly reduce this pathway into aquatic environments.

2023
Article Tier 2

Waste Surgical Masks as Precursors of Activated Carbon: A Circular Economy Approach to Mitigate the Impact of Microplastics and Emerging Dye Contaminants

Waste surgical masks were converted into activated carbon materials through pyrolysis, demonstrating a circular approach for handling the surge in disposable mask waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Repurposing mask waste as functional carbon avoids its fragmentation into microplastics in the environment.

2025 Materials 1 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

Development and Efficiency Evaluation of Microplastic Removal Filter for Laundry Machines

Researchers developed a four-stage filter for laundry machines designed to capture microplastics released during washing. Over 50 tests, the filter achieved an average microplastic removal rate of 98.5%, along with 92% removal of chemical oxygen demand. The most common microplastics in laundry wastewater were polyethylene (57%), followed by PET and nylon, highlighting both the scale of laundry-related microplastic pollution and the effectiveness of filtration solutions.

2025 Water 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Scrutinizing the chemical and morphological alterations of microfibers released from household washing machines under varying temperature conditions

This study examined how washing temperature affects the quantity and chemical properties of microfibers released from synthetic textiles in household washing machines, finding that higher temperatures increased fiber release and altered fiber surface chemistry. The results have implications for reducing microplastic pollution from laundry and for textile product design.

2024 CLEAN - Soil Air Water 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Filtering Systems to Reduce Microfiber Emissions from Textiles during Household Laundering

This study evaluated sustainable filtration systems for capturing microfibers released from synthetic textiles during household washing, assessing their efficiency in reducing the entry of these microplastic fibers into wastewater.

2023 Polymers 17 citations
Article Tier 2

From closet to contaminant to control: Unveiling microplastic sources in household textiles and potential for environmental application

Degraded domestic textile fibers were chemically and thermally activated and tested for dye remediation, with ZnCl₂-activated polyurethane and polyester fibers showing the best removal efficiency (up to 87.7%) for anionic dyes, repurposing textile microplastic waste for environmental cleanup.

2024 Journal of Water Process Engineering 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Release of synthetic microplastic plastic fibres from domestic washing machines: Effects of fabric type and washing conditions

Researchers measured synthetic microfiber release from domestic washing machines in real household conditions, finding that millions of fibers are shed per wash cycle, with fiber release influenced by fabric type and wash parameters.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1556 citations
Article Tier 2

Reuse of Water in Laundry Applications with Micro- and Ultrafiltration Ceramic Membrane

Microfiltration and ultrafiltration ceramic membranes were compared for the treatment of laundry wastewater containing microfibers, with both membranes achieving high microfiber removal while the ultrafiltration membrane provided better water quality for reuse. The study supports ceramic membrane filtration as an effective approach to capturing textile microplastics at the point of washing.

2022 Membranes 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient Filtration Systems for Microplastic Elimination in Wastewater

Synthetic microfibers and microplastic particles released during industrial laundry processes are a significant but under-addressed source of water pollution. This study designed a three-stage textile cascade filter system capable of capturing microplastic particles down to 1.5 micrometers from laundry wastewater, achieving high removal efficiency using progressively finer polypropylene filter media. The approach offers a practical engineering solution for reducing microplastic discharge from commercial laundries before it reaches waterways.

2025 Microplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards Sustainable Textiles: Microplastics, Coffee, and Closing the Loop

Researchers investigated both microplastic pollution from textile use and the potential of coffee fruit (cascara) waste as a raw material for sustainable cellulosic fibers, finding that pressure-sensitive adhesive substrates effectively capture microplastics from water and that cascara offers a promising bio-based alternative to conventional synthetic textile production.

2023 Deep Blue (University of Michigan) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyester Textiles as a Source of Microplastics from Households: A Mechanistic Study to Understand Microfiber Release During Washing

Researchers conducted a mechanistic study of microplastic fiber shedding from polyester textiles in household washing machines, identifying wash temperature, spin speed, and detergent type as key variables affecting fiber release rates.

2017 Environmental Science & Technology 744 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