The contribution of washing processes of synthetic clothes to microplastic pollution
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Laboratory experimental study on textiles (non-clinical design analogy)
OpenAlex W2943642024 · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-43023-x
What was done
Wash trials were conducted on commercial garments using a household washing machine to measure microplastic shedding. Wastewater was collected and filtered through a cascade of filters with decreasing porosity to quantify fibre mass, count, and dimensions (length and diameter) in relation to textile properties such as fibre type and yarn twist.
What was found
Garments released between 124 and 308 mg of microfibres per kilogram of washed fabric, corresponding to 640,000 to 1,500,000 microfibres per kg. The type of fibres in yarns and their twist influenced release rates. Polyester/cellulose blend garments also shed substantial amounts of cellulosic microfibres. The most abundant fraction of shed fibres was retained by 60 µm pore-size filters, with an average length of 360–660 µm and average diameter of 12–16 µm.
Why it matters
This work provides real-scale quantitative benchmarks for microfibre emissions from household laundering and shows that textile structural characteristics directly affect shedding rates.
Limits
The abstract does not specify the sample size (number of garments or wash runs tested), laundering parameters (detergent use, temperature, or cycle settings), or real-world passage rates through actual municipal wastewater treatment facilities.
Cited by
- context Synthetic clothing is the primary source of microplastics entering the ocean.