Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

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

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

Study on the Extraction Method of Microplastic System in Textile Wastewater

This study developed and evaluated methods for extracting and quantifying microplastics from textile wastewater, addressing the lack of standardized analytical protocols for this important industrial source of microplastic pollution.

2023 Polymers 24 citations
Article Tier 2

The significant impacts of laundry wastewater on microplastics: a case study in a residential area

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in laundry wastewater from a residential area and tracked their contribution to urban drainage, finding that laundry effluent is a significant and underestimated source of microfibers entering municipal sewer systems and subsequently rivers.

2024 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 5 citations
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

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

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

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

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

A novel approach for rapid quantification and length distribution of microfibers released during domestic laundry.

Researchers developed a novel rapid method for directly quantifying microfibers released during domestic laundry and deriving their length distribution density function, addressing the lack of standardized quantification approaches for this significant source of microfiber pollution.

2025 Journal of hazardous materials
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

Sensitive quantification and morphological analysis of microfibers in laundry wastewater: Standardization and validation of a fluorescence-based method

Synthetic microfibers shed during laundry make up a large share of microplastics found in aquatic environments, but accurately counting them in wastewater has been technically inconsistent between labs. This study standardized and validated a fluorescence-based staining method for quantifying microfibers in laundry effluent, making it faster and more accessible than conventional spectroscopic approaches. A validated standard method is critical for generating comparable data across studies and informing regulations on microfiber pollution from washing machines.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

An innovative evaluation method based on polymer mass detection to evaluate the contribution of microfibers from laundry process to municipal wastewater

Researchers developed a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify polyester microplastic fibres released during clothes washing by measuring polyethylene terephthalate polymer mass, finding that laundry contributes a quantifiable and significant load of microplastic fibres to municipal wastewater treatment plants.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the Flows of Microplastic Fibres in the Textile Lifecycle: A System Perspective

The lifecycle flows of microplastic fibers through the textile industry were mapped, identifying key stages from fiber production through washing and disposal where fibers are shed and enter the environment. This systems-level analysis supports targeted interventions to reduce fiber microplastic pollution at source.

2025 Sustainability 1 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
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

Detection and Characterisation Techniques for Microfiber in Wastewater

This review covers current detection and characterization techniques for microfibers, the most common type of microplastic found in the environment. Researchers discuss how microfibers are released in large quantities during home laundry and enter waterways through wastewater treatment plants. The study emphasizes that precise detection methods are essential for understanding and controlling microfiber pollution, given its harmful effects on both aquatic ecosystems and human health.

2024 2 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

Microplastics Shedding from Textiles—Developing Analytical Method for Measurement of Shed Material Representing Release during Domestic Washing

Researchers developed an analytical method to measure microplastic shedding from textiles during domestic washing, identifying key methodological variables that explain the large variation in shedding measurements across prior studies and proposing a standardized approach for more comparable results.

2018 Sustainability 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Designing out microplastic pollution released from textiles and apparel during laundering

This study explored source-directed design and manufacturing interventions to reduce microplastic fiber release from synthetic textiles during washing, using standardized wash tests to quantify shedding from fabric surfaces and edges. Structural fabric design modifications were identified as effective strategies to reduce microplastic fiber shedding at the point of manufacture.

2024 Cambridge Prisms Plastics 4 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
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