Abstract
Microplastics released from textiles during the washing process represent the most prevalent type of microparticles found in different environmental compartments and ecosystems around the world. Release of microfibres during the washing process of synthetic textiles is due to the mechanical and chemical stresses that clothes undergo in washing machines. Several washing process parameters, conditions, formulations of laundering additives have been correlated to microfibre release and some of them have been identified to affect microfibre release during washing process, while no correlation has been evaluated between microfibre release and washing load. In the present study, microfibre release was evaluated as function of the washing load in a real washing process, indicating a progressive decrease of microfibre release with increasing washing load. The quantity of released microfibres increased by around 5 times by decreasing the washing load due to a synergistic effect between water-volume to fabric ratio and mechanical stress during washing. Moreover, the higher mechanical stress to which the fabric is subjected in the case of a low washing load, hinders the discrimination of the effect on the release of other washing parameters like the type of detergent and laundry additives used.
Highlights
Microplastics released from textiles during the washing process represent the most prevalent type of microparticles found in different environmental compartments and ecosystems around the world
Comparing the results obtained during washing trials performed in a real washing machine with different washing loads, it was possible to evaluate the effect of the release as a function of the load
Such results could be due to a synergistic effect between the water-volume to fabric ratio and mechanical stress on the fabric, at which the different amounts of fabrics are exposed during washing
Summary
Microplastics released from textiles during the washing process represent the most prevalent type of microparticles found in different environmental compartments and ecosystems around the world. The quantity of released microfibres increased by around 5 times by decreasing the washing load due to a synergistic effect between water-volume to fabric ratio and mechanical stress during washing. Release of microfibres during the washing process of synthetic textiles is due to the mechanical and chemical stresses that clothes undergo in washing machines, and due to their dimensions, not all microfibres released can be blocked by wastewater treatments plants (WWTPs)[4], reaching in this way seas and oceans and constituting a risk for the ecosystem. Despite no apparent short-term effects on amphipods, the fluorescence microscopy analysis of digestive tracts showed that half of the species that had been exposed to microfibres had accumulated fragments in the internal systems. The differences in the methods applied to quantify microfibre release and especially in parameters like washing load, make difficult the comparison between the results and may compromise the evaluation of the influence of a particular parameter on the release
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
