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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Behaviour of different micro-plastics during degradation in fresh and sea waters, with focus on synthetic microfibers
ClearCharacterisation 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.
Aging of textile-based microfibers in both air and water environments
Researchers aged textile-based microfibers under controlled air and water environments over extended periods, characterizing changes in surface chemistry, mechanical properties, and morphology, finding that degradation pathways differed substantially between air and aquatic conditions.
Photo aging of polyester microfiber in freshwater and seawater environments: kinetics, mechanisms, and influencing factors
UV aging of polyester (PET) microfibers accelerates faster in seawater than in freshwater, driven by reactive ions like nitrate, bromide, and chloride. This matters because faster aging in marine environments means PET microfibers — the most abundant microplastic in aquatic systems — break down more rapidly into smaller, potentially more bioavailable nanoplastic fragments in the ocean.
Microplastic particle versus fiber generation during photo-transformation in simulated seawater
Researchers exposed common plastic films and fibers to simulated sunlight in seawater and tracked the photo-transformation process, finding that particles and fibers formed at different rates and that UV irradiation preferentially generates certain morphologies depending on the parent polymer.
Physiochemical Degradation of Plastic Fibers from Synthetic Fabrics and Effect of Natural Organic Matter in Aquatic Environments on Nanoplastics’ Behavior
Researchers studied how laundry conditions affect microfiber release from synthetic fabrics and how UV irradiation and pH alter fabric degradation, then examined how natural organic matter (NOM) influences nanoplastic behavior in water. They found that degradation conditions significantly changed fiber release rates and that NOM modified nanoplastic aggregation and stability.
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.
Marine Biodegradability and Toxicity of Commercially Available Biobased Plastics -A Sustainable Alternative To Petrochemical Plastics?
This conference abstract examines whether commercially available biobased plastics degrade in the marine environment and whether they produce toxic byproducts. Results suggest that some bioplastics do not biodegrade effectively in seawater and may pose similar risks to marine organisms as conventional petroleum-based plastics.
Photodegradation Processes and Weathering Products of Microfibers in Aquatic Environments
Researchers conducted photodegradation experiments on three common microfiber types — polyester, nylon, and acrylic — to understand how they break down in aquatic environments under light exposure. They documented changes in surface morphology, polymer structure, and chemical properties over time, finding that each fiber type followed distinct degradation pathways. The study provides important insights into the environmental fate and secondary pollution potential of textile-derived microfibers.
Microfibers in oceanic surface waters: A global characterization
A global analysis of 916 seawater samples from six ocean basins characterized microfibers as ubiquitous contaminants, finding that many are not synthetic textiles but natural or semi-synthetic materials, questioning the assumption that all environmental fibers are microplastic.
Microplastic fibres from synthetic textiles: Environmental degradation and additive chemical content
Researchers studied how common synthetic textile fibers — polyester, polyamide, and polyacrylonitrile — degrade in seawater and freshwater under UV light exposure. They found that these fibers release chemical additives as they break down, with polyester and polyamide releasing particularly concerning levels of plastic-related chemicals into the surrounding water.
Decomposition and fragmentation of conventional and biobased plastic wastes in simulated and real aquatic systems
Researchers tracked the decomposition and fragmentation of conventional and biobased plastics in simulated and real aquatic environments over six months. They found that while biobased materials showed faster initial surface changes, all tested plastics eventually generated micro- and nanoplastic fragments in water. The study provides evidence that even plastics marketed as more environmentally friendly still contribute to microplastic pollution once they enter waterways.
Current studies on the degradation of microplastics in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem
This review summarizes current studies on microplastic degradation in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, covering physical, chemical, and biological degradation pathways and the fate of breakdown products. The review highlights the persistence of microplastics and the limited progress toward efficient degradation under natural environmental conditions.
Seawater‐Degradable Polymers: Seawater‐Degradable Polymers—Fighting the Marine Plastic Pollution (Adv. Sci. 1/2021)
This review examines polymers designed to degrade in seawater as a potential strategy to combat marine plastic pollution, covering material properties, degradation mechanisms, and the environmental context of marine microplastic impacts. Even seawater-degradable polymers require careful evaluation since the consequences of marine plastic pollution are still not fully understood.
Effects and Characterization of Environmental Conditions on Microplastic Fibers Release from Synthetic Textile
Researchers investigated how environmental conditions such as moist heat, high-temperature drying, and abrasion affect the release of microplastic fibers from synthetic textiles. The study found that these aging processes significantly increased fiber shedding, highlighting synthetic clothing as a major ongoing source of microplastic contamination in water environments.
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.
Fragmentation of Disposed Plastic Waste Materials in Different Aquatic Environments
PET plastic bottles and non-woven fibers were exposed to different aquatic environments — freshwater, seawater, and wastewater — to study how they fragment over time. PET degraded faster in some environments and produced fragments of varying sizes depending on conditions. Understanding fragmentation pathways is essential for predicting how plastic waste transforms into microplastics in different water bodies.
Pure Hydrolysis of Polyamides: A Comparative Study
This study examined the hydrolytic degradation of different polyamide (nylon) types under various environmental conditions. Understanding how nylon degrades is relevant to microplastics research, as nylon fishing gear and synthetic textiles are significant sources of microplastic fibers in aquatic environments.
Marine environment microfiber contamination: Global patterns and the diversity of microparticle origins
Researchers collected 1,393 one-liter water grab samples globally and found a mean microparticle concentration of 11.8 particles per liter — roughly 1,000 times higher than model predictions — with 91% being microfibers, 57% synthetic, and highest densities in polar oceans, while also documenting underreported non-synthetic and semi-synthetic fibers from natural textile sources.
Anthropogenic fibres in the Baltic Sea water column: Field data, laboratory and numerical testing of their motion
Analysis of water column samples from the Baltic Sea found that synthetic fibers were by far the most common type of microplastic, detected at concentrations from just below the surface down to depth. The study provides detailed vertical distribution data for microplastic fibers in a semi-enclosed sea and includes laboratory tests on how different fiber types behave in seawater.