Quantifying shedding of synthetic fibers from textiles; a source of microplastics released into the environment

Microplastics in the environment are a subject of intense research as they pose a potential threat to marine organisms. Plastic fibers from textiles have been indicated as a major source of this type of contaminant, entering the oceans via wastewater and diverse non-point sources. Their presence is also documented in terrestrial samples. In this study, the amount of microfibers shedding from synthetic textiles was measured for three materials (acrylic, nylon, polyester), knit using different gauges and techniques. All textiles were found to shed, but polyester fleece fabrics shed the greatest amounts, averaging 7360 fibers/m−2/L−1 in one wash, compared with polyester fabrics which shed 87 fibers/m−2/L−1. We…

• SF
  Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas

  Award: 216-2012-625
• V
  Vetenskapsrådet
• ER
  European Regional Development Fund
• I
  Interreg