Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Lack of Evidence for Microplastic Contamination from Water-Soluble Detergent Capsules

Researchers tested 39 brands of water-soluble detergent capsules from four EU countries for microplastic release, finding no evidence that the capsule materials themselves shed microplastics into laundry or dishwasher wastewater. They found that microplastics detected in laundry wastewater originated from PET textiles rather than capsule composition, and that the Guppyfriend bag outperformed the Cora Ball in capturing shed fibers.

2022 Microplastics 8 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microencapsulation for Functional Textile Coatings with Emphasis on Biodegradability—A Systematic Review

This systematic review found that microencapsulation techniques for functional textile coatings are well-established for conventional shell materials, but biodegradable alternatives remain limited and often sacrifice durability. The review identified that most microcapsule shell materials are synthetic polymers that can contribute to microplastic pollution when they degrade from textile surfaces during washing. Developing truly biodegradable microcapsule formulations is essential for reducing the microplastic fiber shedding that makes textiles one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution.

2021 Coatings 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigación en nuevas técnicas de microencapsulación biodegradables de fragancias para el sector de detergencia que eviten la liberación de microplásticos al medio ambiente

This study investigates biodegradable microencapsulation techniques for fragrances used in laundry and personal care products, aiming to replace conventional plastic microcapsules that release microplastics into the environment during washing. The research develops new polymer matrices that deliver fragrance performance while breaking down naturally, avoiding microplastic pollution.

2023
Article Tier 2

Country-Specific Environmental Risks of Fragrance Encapsulates Used in Laundry Care Products

Fragrance encapsulates used in laundry detergents are tiny polymer shells that enter waterways during washing. This study estimated their environmental concentrations in freshwater, sediment, and soil and assessed associated risks, finding that these plastic-like particles represent an underappreciated source of microplastic pollution.

2021 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Encapsulation of volatile compounds in liquid media: Fragrances, flavors, and essential oils in commercial formulations

Researchers reviewed microencapsulation techniques for fragrances, flavors, and essential oils and found that widely used rigid polymer microcapsules in consumer products release microplastics into wastewater, accounting for roughly 4% of total environmental microplastic load, underscoring demand for biodegradable encapsulation alternatives.

2021 Advances in Colloid and Interface Science 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Are Fragrance Encapsulates Taken Up by Aquatic and Terrestrial Invertebrate Species?

The uptake of fragrance encapsulates by aquatic invertebrates and earthworms was investigated, finding that these micron-sized polymer capsules used in laundry products can be ingested by freshwater and soil organisms, qualifying them as microplastics and raising questions about their ecological fate after release through washing.

2021 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of Liquid Detergent Pods as a Potential Microplastic Source

This study tested whether the water-soluble film pods used in laundry detergent capsules leave microplastic residues, finding measurable plastic particles released during washing. Even products marketed as convenient may contribute to microplastic pollution entering waterways through household drains.

2023 Chemistry & Chemical Technology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Cosmetics: Open Questions and Sustainable Opportunities

This review examines the role of microplastics in cosmetic products and the industry's transition toward sustainable alternatives as regulations tighten worldwide. Researchers surveyed the properties that make plastic particles useful in cosmetics, such as texture and appearance enhancement, alongside their environmental drawbacks. The study provides an overview of emerging bio-based and biodegradable replacement materials that could help the personal care industry eliminate microplastics from formulations.

2024 ChemSusChem 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Organic–Inorganic Multilayer Microcarriers with Superior Mechanical Properties for Potential Active Delivery in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods

Researchers developed an eco-friendly microcapsule made with a calcium carbonate shell as a sustainable replacement for conventional microplastic-based capsules used in consumer products. These new capsules demonstrated record-breaking mechanical strength and controlled release of fragrance compounds over several days. The innovation offers a path toward eliminating microplastic ingredients in everyday products like laundry detergents and personal care items.

2025 Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring microplastic pollution from origin to environmental impact and remediation approaches

This review provides a comprehensive assessment of microplastic pollution, covering their sources from synthetic textiles, cosmetics, and packaging to their fate in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The study critically examines detection techniques, structural and chemical classification methods, and the health risks microplastics pose to organisms including humans.

2025 Discover Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics (MPs) in Cosmetics: A Review on Their Presence in Personal-Care, Cosmetic, and Cleaning Products (PCCPs) and Sustainable Alternatives from Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers

This review documents how microplastics are widely used in personal care products, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies as exfoliants, film formers, and texture enhancers. These products wash down the drain and contribute to environmental microplastic pollution, which can ultimately cycle back to humans through contaminated water and food.

2024 Cosmetics 42 citations
Article Tier 2

A weight of evidence analytical approach: Understanding chemical composition of synthetic polymers to aid in the interpretation of biodegradation results.

This study applies a weight-of-evidence analytical framework to assess the chemical composition of synthetic polymers and aid interpretation of biodegradation test results, focusing on the European Commission's 2023 microplastic restriction exemption for biodegradable microparticles including fragrance microcapsules.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: Impacts on Aquatic Life and Rodents with Potential Alternatives

This review examined microplastics in cosmetics and personal care products as a major environmental source, cataloguing their types and concentrations in commercial formulations and reviewing evidence that they harm aquatic organisms and rodents through ingestion, bioaccumulation, and chemical co-exposure, while also surveying biodegradable alternatives.

2021 Sains Malaysiana 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products

This review examines the presence of microplastics, commonly known as microbeads, in cosmetics and personal care products and their pathway into aquatic environments through wastewater discharge. Researchers assessed how these tiny particles interact with marine species and other pollutants once they enter water bodies. The study underscores that despite the existence of wastewater treatment plants, microbeads from personal care products remain a persistent source of aquatic plastic pollution.

2024 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable encapsulation of lipophilic fragrances using biodegradable sodium alginate for cosmetic applications

Researchers developed a sustainable encapsulation method for lipophilic fragrances using biodegradable sodium alginate, replacing conventional non-biodegradable microplastic-classified shell materials used in cosmetics, food, and detergent industries. The approach offers a viable eco-friendly alternative that reduces microplastic pollution from fragrance encapsulation applications.

2025 Colloids and Surfaces B Biointerfaces
Article Tier 2

Hierarchical Plant Protein Microcapsules for Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Cargo Molecules

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper describes biodegradable plant protein microcapsules for food and pharmaceutical delivery, which meet ISO biodegradability standards for freshwater but are not themselves a microplastic source or subject.

2024 arXiv (Cornell University) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics: Applications in the Cosmetic Industry and Impacts on the Aquatic Environment

This review examines how microplastics are used in cosmetics as microbeads in products like exfoliating cleansers, and how these particles enter waterways through drain disposal and harm aquatic life. The authors summarize the main problems caused by cosmetic microplastics and discuss regulatory efforts to phase them out.

2022 Figshare 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Essential Use Concept for Primary Microplastics Regulation in the EU

Researchers explored how the "essential use" concept could be applied to regulate primary microplastics intentionally added to products in the EU. They analyzed different product categories to determine where microplastic use might be considered essential versus where viable alternatives already exist. The study provides a framework for policymakers to systematically phase out unnecessary microplastic uses while allowing them only in applications where no adequate substitutes are available.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmentally friendly calcium carbonate-polydopamine microcapsules with superior mechanical, barrier, and adhesive properties

Researchers developed biodegradable microcapsules made from calcium carbonate coated with a mussel-inspired polymer (polydopamine) that can hold and slowly release perfume molecules onto fabrics during washing, as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic-based microcapsules. With regulations set to phase out intentionally produced microplastics by 2027, this eco-friendly design matches commercial performance while eliminating plastic microparticle release into waterways.

2024 Sustainable materials and technologies 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Approaches for Sampling and Sample Preparation for Microplastic Analysis in Laundry Effluents

Researchers reviewed sampling and sample preparation methods for analyzing microplastics in laundry effluents. The study highlights the lack of standardized methods for quantifying textile fiber microplastics released during washing and emphasizes the need for consistent analytical approaches to better understand this significant source of microplastic pollution.

2024 Sustainability 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Rational Design of Sustainable Liquid Microcapsules for Spontaneous Fragrance Encapsulation

Researchers designed sustainable liquid microcapsules for fragrance encapsulation using bio-based rather than petroleum-derived materials, reducing environmental impact. This approach could replace conventional capsules that shed microplastic particles into wastewater when rinsed off personal care products.

2021 Angewandte Chemie 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastics on the Environment and Its Mitigation

This review examines the environmental and biological hazards of microplastics across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, covering their classification as fibers, flakes, fragments, granules, and spheres, their capacity to carry toxic chemicals, and their sorption-desorption dynamics. The authors identify significant gaps in analytical methodology and biological impact data, calling for novel mitigation strategies to address the long-term ecological risks of this emerging contaminant.

2024
Article Tier 2

Towards Sustainable Cosmetics Packaging

Not directly relevant to microplastics — this review examines the broader sustainability challenges of cosmetics packaging, including environmental, social, and economic trade-offs, without a specific focus on microplastic pollution.

2023 Preprints.org 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicity testing of microplastics: Considering the heterogeneity of physicochemical properties

Researchers reviewed how the diverse physical and chemical properties of microplastics, including particle size, shape, crystallinity, surface chemistry, and polymer composition, may influence their ecotoxicity. They argue that standard testing with uniform microbeads fails to capture the heterogeneity of environmental microplastics and may lead to inaccurate risk assessments. The study calls for a more structured approach to testing different microplastic properties to identify the key drivers of toxicity.

2017 Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 293 citations