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Papers
20 resultsShowing papers similar to Synthetic Nano- and Microfibers
ClearSynthetic Nano- and Microfibers
This book chapter covers synthetic nano- and microfibers including polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which are shed from textiles during wear and washing. Synthetic fibers are among the most abundant microplastic types found in aquatic and terrestrial environments worldwide, with global fiber production expected to reach 145 million metric tons by 2030.
Environmental Degradation due to Synthetic Fibres
This review chapter examines how synthetic textile fibres—nylon, polyester, rayon, and acrylic—contribute to microplastic pollution through their entire lifecycle, from manufacturing to washing. Because these fibres shed millions of microfibre particles into waterways with every laundry cycle and persist indefinitely in the environment, the global textile industry is identified as a major, ongoing source of plastic contamination.
Future Perspectives
This book chapter reviews future perspectives for addressing microfiber pollution, summarizing current knowledge on the environmental fate of synthetic microfibers composed of polyester, nylon, acrylic, polyethylene, and polypropylene, and evaluating emerging mitigation strategies. The chapter identifies key research gaps and calls for integrated approaches spanning textile design, wastewater treatment, and regulatory frameworks to reduce microfiber accumulation in aquatic ecosystems.
Synthetic Textiles and Microplastics
This review examines how synthetic textiles shed microfibers during washing and drying, covering the mechanisms of release, the environmental fate of microfibers in aquatic systems, and strategies for reducing microplastic pollution from the fashion and textile industry.
Microfibre and nanofibre: pollution and environmental impacts
This review examines microfibres and nanofibres — shed from clothing and textiles during use and washing — as a significant but poorly quantified category of environmental pollutants. Up to 4.28 million metric tonnes of microfibres enter the environment each year, with synthetic garment laundering responsible for about 35% of that total, yet natural fibre shedding is largely ignored in sustainability assessments. The authors argue that both synthetic and natural microfibres need to be included in environmental impact frameworks, especially as fast fashion drives ever-increasing textile production.
The fiber microparticle pipeline in the marine water column – from source to mitigation strategies
This review examines the sources, environmental transport, and health implications of microfibers — including synthetic fibers from textiles and natural fibers — in the marine water column. With global fiber production exceeding 100 million metric tons annually, synthetic microfibers are one of the most abundant forms of microplastic in the ocean.
Synthetic fibers as microplastics in the marine environment: A review from textile perspective with a focus on domestic washings
This review examined synthetic fibers as a source of microplastics in the marine environment, tracing the full textile lifecycle from manufacturing through use and disposal to understand where and how fibers enter aquatic systems.
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.
Microfiber release from different fabrics during washing
This study quantified microfiber shedding from polyester, polyamide, and acrylic fabrics during washing, finding that fiber release depended on fabric construction and washing conditions, with up to tens of thousands of fibers released per wash.
A critical review on environmental pollution caused by the textile industry
This review examines how the textile industry contributes to environmental pollution, including the release of microplastics from synthetic fibers during washing. The study highlights that non-biodegradable materials like polyester, nylon, and acrylic shed microplastic fibers that enter water systems, potentially harming marine organisms and entering the human food chain.
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.
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.
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.
A novel method for the isolation, characterisation, and quantification of nanoplastic fibres released from synthetic textiles during laundering
Researchers developed a novel method for isolating, characterising, and quantifying nanoplastic fibres (NPFs) released during laundering of synthetic textiles — including acrylic, nylon, and polyester — enabling fibre size differentiation from the micro to the nano scale. The method addresses a significant gap in textile pollution research by providing a tool to study the understudied nanoplastic fraction of laundry-derived fibre emissions.
Fibrous microplastics released from textiles: Occurrence, fate, and remediation strategies
This review focuses on fibrous microplastics released from synthetic textiles like polyester, which are the most common type of microplastic found in the environment. These fibers are shed during washing and wearing, are too small for most wastewater filters to catch, and persist in ecosystems for long periods. The review warns that data on the long-term health effects of fibrous microplastic exposure in humans is still very limited.
Microfibres from apparel and home textiles: Prospects for including microplastics in environmental sustainability assessment
This review examines how synthetic textiles release plastic microfibers during production, use, and laundering, making them a major source of microplastic pollution. Researchers found that textile microfibers may account for up to 35% of primary microplastics entering marine environments and can persist for decades in soils. The study discusses factors affecting fiber release from fabrics and calls for better assessment methods to understand the environmental and potential health risks of this widespread contamination.
Assessment of Microplastics in the Environment – Fibres: the Disregarded Twin?
This paper argues that synthetic fibers are systematically underestimated in environmental microplastic monitoring because they are often excluded from sampling protocols. Since synthetic textiles are ubiquitous and shed fibers through washing and wear, ignoring fibers means current assessments substantially undercount total microplastic environmental pollution.
Marine Microfiber Pollution
This chapter reviews marine microfiber pollution, covering sources from synthetic textiles and cosmetics, their environmental persistence, abundance as the most common microplastic form, and ecological impacts on marine organisms.
Fragmented fibre (including microplastic) pollution from textiles
This review examined fragmented fiber pollution from all textile types including natural, regenerated, and synthetic fabrics, finding that all textiles release fibers throughout their lifecycle from manufacturing to washing to disposal, and that natural fiber shedding has been underestimated relative to synthetic fibers in pollution assessments.
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.