Treatment of the Wastewater Polluted with Synthetic Microfiber Released from Washing Machine

Abstract

AbstractMicrofiber (MFs), are classified as secondary microplastic pollutants with diameter less than 10 µm, mainly released from the laundering of synthetic fabric. Investigations confirmed the universal presence of these fragments throughout the atmosphere including air water and soil. Tiny plastic fibers are the major source of this type of pollutant. Microfiber released by domestic laundering processes of synthetic fabric has recently been detected as the prime source of microfiber pollution in the aquatic environment. However, it is vital to understand the contribution of the synthetic clothes laundering to this environmental problem. Current study mainly focuses on the quantification of data about the release of microplastics, and to identify possible influences of textile characteristics on the release. Washing trials were performed using daily use synthetic garments in the household washing machine in order to record the influence of the washing parameters on the quantity of micro fleeces released. These tiny particles are discharged into the marine environment each year from a variety of sources, of which approximately 700,000 micro fragments are released and 1900 particles from one piece of garment. It can be predicted that, till date, 1.5 million trillion of MF pollutants are currently gathered in the ocean discharged by principal microfiber contributing countries. Domestic washing machines, unable to filter tiny fibers; hence, they can be easily escaped through the outlet to the river and oceans via domestic drainage. Synthetic microfibers are harmful as they are polluting the whole food chain when these pollutants are ingested by smaller aquatic organisms inadvertently. Advancement in the microscopic and spectroscopic techniques is employed for the quick detection of microfleece pollutant in various aquatic systems. Although few and technology with advanced density separation and centrifugation were developed to combat this pollution. However it was scientifically investigated that none of this method and product can filter MFs so competently. Meticulous research in this field is necessary and pre requisite for developing a technique for recycling of these pollutants and sustainable management, which may diminish the pollution level of the water bodies. Future research should primarily aim at developing novel techniques as a solution to this problem. In this present work, primarily the washing machine effluents samples were collected from 5 different house hold regions of Bhubaneswar city, from Odisha state of India. Physiochemical parameters such as pH, Total dissolved solid, Total suspended solid of the collected grey water samples were measured to observe the variation. Morphological feature of the collected microfiber particles such as texture, colour, number and weight were measured. Around 500–520 numbers of visible fiber fleeces were present in 1 L of effluent sample, having biomass 3 mg/L approximately. Dominant presence of deep-red, black and blue coloured microfibers having fiber length 1–2.5 cm was observed. Abundant presence of polyester fiber groups is confirmed through hit description image and peaks 1240.03–2917.38 obtained from FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) analysis.KeywordsWashing machineWaste waterSynthetic microfiberPollutionTreatment