Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microfibres from Textile Industry Effluents

Researchers reviewed the fate of microfibres released from textile industry effluents, finding that conventional wastewater treatment is insufficient to fully remove fibres, which then enter receiving waterways and contribute to environmental microplastic loads.

2024
Article Tier 2

Microplastic fibre releases from industrial wastewater effluent: a textile wet-processing mill in China

Researchers sampled industrial wastewater from a textile wet-processing mill in China and found an average of 361.6 microplastic fibers per liter in the effluent, with 92% shorter than 1000 micrometers. The study suggests that industrial textile processing is a significant point source of microplastic fiber pollution that has been understudied relative to domestic laundering, and that targeting these effluents could meaningfully reduce global microfiber releases.

2021 Environmental Chemistry 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Wastewater treatment plant effluent and microfiber pollution: focus on industry-specific wastewater

Researchers examined microfiber pollution from wastewater treatment plant effluent, finding that industry-specific wastewater from textile operations released significantly higher concentrations of synthetic microfibers compared to municipal sources.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 82 citations
Article Tier 2

From production to pollution: a review of microfiber release mechanisms and mitigation strategies in the textile industry

This review examines the origins, pathways, and environmental impacts of microfiber pollution from the textile industry. Researchers found that microfibers are released during both textile manufacturing and garment use, and that solutions include biodegradable fiber development, washing machine filtration systems, and advanced wastewater treatment. The study emphasizes that collaboration among industry, governments, research institutions, and consumers is critical to reducing microfiber release.

2025 Journal of the Textile Institute 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Fibrous Microplastics Release from Textile Production Phases: A Brief Review of Current Challenges and Applied Research Directions

This review examines how microplastic fibers are shed during various stages of textile production, from spinning and weaving to dyeing and finishing. Researchers found that fibrous microplastics account for roughly half to 70% of all microplastics found in global wastewater, primarily originating from synthetic fabric manufacturing and household laundering. The study identifies gaps in current knowledge and explores recycling technologies and regulatory approaches that could help reduce textile microplastic pollution.

2025 Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic emissions in textile wet processing: Progress, challenges, and mitigation strategies

This review examines how textile wet processing, including dyeing and finishing operations, contributes to microplastic emissions that are more substantial in volume and chemically diverse than those from domestic laundry. Researchers found that mechanical forces, water, and chemical treatments during industrial processing release significant quantities of synthetic microfibers into wastewater. The study explores mitigation strategies including bioengineered materials, improved textile design, surface coatings, and enhanced filtration technologies.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Textile microfibers reaching aquatic environments: A new estimation approach

Researchers developed a new estimation approach for quantifying the mass flow of textile microfibers from household laundry that ultimately reaches aquatic environments, addressing the absence of accurate models for assessing microfiber contributions to microplastic pollution. The method provides a more systematic framework for estimating the environmental load from domestic washing.

2020 Environmental Pollution 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Microfiber from textile dyeing and printing wastewater of a typical industrial park in China: Occurrence, removal and release

Textile dyeing and printing wastewater in a Chinese industrial park contained up to 54,100 microfibers per liter, and even after treatment the effluent released 430 billion microfibers per day into receiving waterways. The study identifies textile wastewater as a far larger source of microfibers than municipal sewage treatment plants.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 156 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution characteristics and fate of microfibers in the wastewater from textile dyeing wastewater treatment plant

Researchers found that a textile industry wastewater treatment plant achieved 95.1% removal of microfibers, reducing concentrations from 334.1 items/litre in influent to 16.3 items/litre in final effluent, yet still released 4.89 x 10^8 microfibers into receiving waters daily due to the enormous treatment volume.

2018 Water Science & Technology 115 citations
Article Tier 2

Examining the Importance of Pretreatment to Capture and Analyze Microfibers from Textile Wastewater

Researchers examined the importance of pretreatment steps for capturing and analyzing microfibers released from the textile industry during wet processing steps such as dyeing, rinsing, softening, and finishing, identifying inorganic compounds alongside synthetic fibers as key wastewater contaminants.

2022 Marmara University Open Access System
Article Tier 2

Detection and Analysis of Microfibers and Microplastics in Wastewater from a Textile Company

Researchers analyzed microfiber and microplastic levels in wastewater from a textile company, finding that the on-site treatment plant removed only 38–65% of microfibers, meaning up to 62% — including acrylic, polyester, and polyamide particles — can escape into receiving waterways.

2022 Microplastics 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics from textile origin – emission and reduction measures

This paper reviews the emission of fibrous microplastics from synthetic textiles during washing and their pathway through wastewater treatment plants into aquatic environments. It also summarizes available reduction measures such as laundry filters and fiber-releasing fabric design modifications.

2021 Green Chemistry 78 citations
Review Tier 2

Synthetic textile and microfiber pollution: a review on mitigation strategies

This review examines strategies to mitigate synthetic textile microfiber pollution, covering filtration technologies, fiber-shedding-reducing fabric designs, wastewater treatment upgrades, and policy measures.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of Textile Industries in Microfiber Pollution

This review examines the role of textile industries in generating microfiber pollution, tracing microfiber release during fabric production, consumer use, laundering, and end-of-life disposal as synthetic textile demand grows with fast fashion. The review documents pathways by which textile microfibers enter freshwater and marine environments and accumulate in aquatic biota, linking industry growth trends to escalating environmental microfiber loads.

2024
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
Article Tier 2

Microfibers from synthetic textiles as a major source of microplastics in the environment: A review

This review examines how synthetic textile garments release thousands of microplastic fibers during each wash cycle, making laundry a major source of microplastic pollution. Even though wastewater treatment plants capture most fibers, billions still escape into waterways each day because the incoming volume is so enormous. These fibers end up in rivers, oceans, and soil, where they can be consumed by aquatic life and eventually reach humans through the food chain.

2021 Textile Research Journal 347 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and morphological characterization of microfibers emitted from textile washing

Textile microfibers released during washing machine cycles were quantified and characterized, with the study finding that fiber type, fabric construction, and wash conditions all influenced emission quantities. The results confirm textile washing as a significant and ongoing source of microplastic fiber pollution in wastewater.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Fibrous Fragments Generated during the Production and Maintenance of Textiles

This review examines how microplastics and fibrous fragments are generated during textile production and maintenance, noting that textiles account for more than a third of microplastics in surface waters. Researchers found that mechanical, thermal, chemical, and biological damage during manufacturing and early washing cycles are major sources of fiber release. The study emphasizes the need for textile manufacturers to address fiber shedding through improved production processes and material design.

2024 Fibers 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Types in the Wastewater System—A Comparison of Material Flow-Based Source Estimates and the Measurement-Based Load to a Wastewater Treatment Plant

This study compared model-based estimates of microplastic sources in wastewater with actual measurements at a treatment plant, finding that synthetic textiles were the dominant source of microplastic fibers. The results help prioritize which pollution sources to address first in efforts to reduce microplastics entering waterways from sewage treatment.

2021 Sustainability 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the ecological impact of textile microfibers: Current knowledge and research challenges

This review examines the ecological impact of textile microfibers, a major subset of microplastic pollution released during laundry and fabric wear. Researchers found significant knowledge gaps regarding how these fibers affect organisms and ecosystems, particularly when interacting with other environmental contaminants. The study calls for more standardized research methods and greater attention to this pervasive but understudied form of microplastic pollution.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in aquatic environments from washing synthetic textiles

Washing synthetic textiles releases microplastic fibers into wastewater, and this study reviewed the scale of the problem and explored strategies to reduce emissions at the washing machine, garment design, and wastewater treatment levels. Textile laundering is considered one of the largest sources of microplastic fiber pollution reaching aquatic environments.

2021 Figshare
Article Tier 2

A review of the current status of microfiber pollution research in textiles

This review synthesizes research on microfiber shedding from textiles, examining how fiber properties (length, diameter, twist, surface treatment) influence how much a fabric sheds during laundering. Microfibers from textile washing are one of the largest sources of microplastic fiber pollution in wastewater and aquatic environments globally.

2020 International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology 43 citations
Article Tier 2

A review on microplastic emission from textile materials and its reduction techniques

Researchers reviewed how synthetic textile fibers — tiny plastic threads released from clothes during washing, drying, and wearing — are a major source of microplastic pollution, entering waterways and food chains through seafood, salt, and drinking water. They identify fabric type, detergent, and washing conditions as key factors affecting fiber release, and propose textile finishing and regulatory strategies to reduce emissions.

2022 Polymer Degradation and Stability 291 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