Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Domestic laundry and microfiber pollution: Exploring fiber shedding from consumer apparel textiles

Researchers measured microfiber shedding from a range of consumer apparel textiles during simulated laundry cycles, finding that fiber release varied substantially by fabric type, construction, and wash conditions, with polyester fleece releasing the most microfibers per wash.

2021 PLoS ONE 144 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

Microplastics in wastewater: microfiber emissions from common household laundry

A household laundry study found that a 6 kg load of synthetic clothing released an average of 18 million microfibers into wastewater, with 93% of fibers under 500 micrometers in length. This is the first characterization of microfiber emissions under real household conditions, confirming laundry as a major domestic source of small microplastic pollution.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 157 citations
Article Tier 2

Release of synthetic microplastic plastic fibres from domestic washing machines: Effects of fabric type and washing conditions

Researchers measured synthetic microfiber release from domestic washing machines in real household conditions, finding that millions of fibers are shed per wash cycle, with fiber release influenced by fabric type and wash parameters.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1556 citations
Article Tier 2

Release of Microplastic Fibers from Polyester Knit Fleece during Abrasion, Washing, and Drying

Researchers studied how washing, drying, and mechanical abrasion of polyester fleece fabrics contribute to microplastic fiber release. They found that microplastic shedding increased through the first three to five wash cycles before stabilizing, and that a large proportion of released fibers originated as manufacturing residue. The study recommends practical measures including mesh filters in washing machines and factory prewashing to reduce microplastic fiber discharge into wastewater.

2025 ACS Omega 8 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

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
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

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

Characterization of microfibers emission from textile washing from a domestic environment

Researchers found that household laundry machines release millions of microfibers per wash cycle, with top-loading machines emitting slightly more than front-loaders, and synthetic fibers accounting for only about 19% of total emissions, with the majority of fibers under 5 micrometers in length.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Release of polyester and cotton fibers from textiles in machine washings

Researchers quantified the release of polyester and cotton microfibers from textiles during sequential machine washings. They found that the first wash released the most fibers, with amounts decreasing in subsequent washes, and estimated that household washing machines in Finland release hundreds of thousands of kilograms of textile microfibers annually. The study highlights laundry as a significant and ongoing source of microplastic and microfiber pollution entering wastewater systems.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 246 citations
Article Tier 2

The contribution of washing processes of synthetic clothes to microplastic pollution

Real-scale wash trials of synthetic commercial garments measured microfiber release per wash, finding that release varied significantly with textile type, structure, and age, with some items releasing over 700,000 fibers per wash. The study quantifies the contribution of synthetic textile washing to microplastic pollution and identifies fiber characteristics that govern release rates.

2019 Scientific Reports 752 citations
Article Tier 2

Release of MicroplasticFibers from Polyester KnitFleece during Abrasion, Washing, and Drying

Researchers quantified microplastic fiber release from 100% polyester multifilament fleece knit fabrics during standard washing, drying, and mechanical abrasion simulating wear, tracking total weight loss, thickness, dimensions, and surface cover ratio of released fibers. They found fiber release increased through the third to fifth washing cycle before stabilising, that a large proportion of released fibers originated from manufacturing residues, and recommended factory pre-washing and 25 x 30 µm mesh washing machine filters to reduce microplastic fiber discharge.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Quantification of microfibre release from textiles during domestic laundering

Researchers developed a reliable method for quantifying microfibre release from domestic laundering, finding that fabric characteristics had a greater influence on release than wash settings, and estimated UK annual domestic microfibre emissions between 7,300 and 36,100 tonnes depending on assumptions.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 39 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2019 Environmental Pollution 249 citations
Article Tier 2

Release of fibrous microplastics from functional polyester garments through household washing

Functional polyester garments released measurable quantities of fibrous microplastics during household washing, with fiber shedding rates influenced by garment type and washing conditions, while German wastewater treatment plants captured a significant but incomplete fraction.

2024 Frontiers in Environmental Science 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyester Textiles as a Source of Microplastics from Households: A Mechanistic Study to Understand Microfiber Release During Washing

Researchers conducted a mechanistic study of microplastic fiber shedding from polyester textiles in household washing machines, identifying wash temperature, spin speed, and detergent type as key variables affecting fiber release rates.

2017 Environmental Science & Technology 744 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification of different microplastic fibres discharged from textiles in machine wash and tumble drying

Researchers quantified synthetic microplastic fibre emissions from five sequential machine washes and tumble dryings of synthetic fabrics, finding that fibre release decreased with successive washes and that two commercial in-machine fibre traps varied substantially in their collection efficiency, with implications for reducing domestic microplastic emissions.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 105 citations
Article Tier 2

Modelling microplastic fibre emissions from synthetic textiles: An Australian case

Researchers modeled microplastic fiber emissions from synthetic textiles across Australia, estimating emission quantities, identifying geographic hotspots, and tracing fibres to their environmental receiving compartments. The model found that domestic laundry is the dominant emission source, with most fibres ultimately reaching wastewater treatment systems or water bodies.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
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