Plant-based Fibers Research Articles

Targeting the Gut Microbiota in Coronavirus Disease 2019: Hype or Hope?

Targeting the Gut Microbiota in Coronavirus Disease 2019: Hype or Hope?

Fe, fi, fo, fum, I smell the diet of a healthy human

Diet-induced changes in the microbiome can alter immune function and promote inflammation. In a new paper in Cell, Wastyk etal. report that intervention with diets high in fermented foods or plant-based fiber have the potential to increase microbial diversity and reduce markers of immune-mediated inflammation.

Characterization of a Novel Cellulosic Fiber from Brassica oleracea Var. Italic Stem

ABSTRACT This study targets to investigate the properties and morphology of fibers obtained from the stem of Brassica oleracea var. Italic known as broccoli plant. The morphology and diameter of the Brassica oleracea var. Italic fibers (BOVIFs) were analyzed using a scanning electron microscopy. The elemental components were determined by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The functional groups of BOVIFs were studied by a Fourier transform-infrared instrument. The thermal degradation behavior was assessed by thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermogravimetric analysis, and the crystallinity was specified with X-ray diffraction technique. Furthermore, the mechanical behaviors of BOVIFs were analyzed with Shimadzu Ag-X machine. The density and diameter of the fibers were specified as 1.80 g/cm3 and 585 µm. The energy-dispersive X-ray analysis results of BOVIFs show that the fiber consists of carbon (54.49%) and oxygen (45.34%). The cellulose and lignin contents present in the fiber are 47.8% and 13.4%, respectively. According to the Fourier transform infrared analysis, the fibers have a lignocellulose structure. The maximum peak temperature was determined at 365.05°C in the differential thermogravimetric analysis curve, and the crystallinity index was calculated as 70.19%. The fibers have a tensile strength of 790 MPa, an elongation at break of 4.30%, and a Young’s modulus of 18 GPa. The experimental results of this study show that BOVIFs can be used as a new plant-based fiber in many areas.

Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status

Diet modulates the gut microbiome, which in turn can impact the immune system. Here, we determined how two microbiota-targeted dietary interventions, plant-based fiber and fermented foods, influence the human microbiome and immune system in healthy adults. Using a 17-week randomized, prospective study (n= 18/arm) combined with -omics measurements of microbiome and host, including extensive immune profiling, we found diet-specific effects. The high-fiber diet increased microbiome-encoded glycan-degrading carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) despite stable microbial community diversity. Although cytokine response score (primary outcome) was unchanged, three distinct immunological trajectories in high-fiber consumers corresponded to baseline microbiota diversity. Alternatively, the high-fermented-food diet steadily increased microbiota diversity and decreased inflammatory markers. The data highlight how coupling dietary interventions to deep and longitudinal immune and microbiome profiling can provide individualized and population-wide insight. Fermented foods may be valuable in countering the decreased microbiome diversity and increased inflammation pervasive in industrialized society.

Material Flow Patterns of the Global Waste Paper Trade and Potential Impacts of China's Import Ban.

Waste paper, an essential substitute for wood and other plant-based fibers in paper making, is an indispensable part of the circular economy; yet, the impacts of China's ban on global waste paper cycles have not been well understood. We modeled the evolution of the global waste paper trade network during 1995-2019. We found that the cumulative trade volume of global waste paper reached 1010 million tons in the last 25 years and showed a downward trend since 2015. The global import center of waste paper experienced a transfer from Europe to East Asia and then to Southeast Asia. The ban has stimulated some developed countries to reduce the exports of unsorted waste paper since 2017, but for many major importers their changes in waste paper trade patterns were related to waste paperboard, which was not banned by China, suggesting that this import change trend may be inevitable and irrespective of China's ban. Besides, India has replaced China to become a new import hub of unsorted waste paper. Our results lay a foundation for exploring the evolution of the future global solid waste cycle under the background of zero import of solid waste increasingly implemented by China and many other developing countries.

Enhancement of the Dynamic Mechanical and Dielectric Properties of Prosopis juliflora Fiber-Reinforced Composites by Fiber Modification

ABSTRACT The utilization of the plant-based fiber-reinforced composites is being increased in recent days. The plant-based fiber used in the present study was extracted from the Prosopis juliflora plant. Alkali treatment effects of the fiber-reinforced composites on the static and dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties were investigated and compared with the untreated fiber-reinforced composites in the current work. Tests like static and dynamic mechanical, dielectrical, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were carried out on both treated and untreated composite specimens. The temperature was varied from 25°C to a maximum temperature of 180°C to investigate the dynamic mechanical properties at a constant frequency of 2 Hz. Dielectric properties were also analyzed using impedance analyzer and compared the results of both treated and untreated composites. Characterization techniques like SEM, TGA, and XRD were carried out on both the treated and untreated composite specimens to probe the bonding and crystallinity among the composites. The results of SEM and XRD showed that the bonding and crystallinity improved with the fiber treatment such that the thermal stability also improved. The improved properties of the composite samples extend the applications in the field of automotive, packaging, construction, etc.

A two-stage factorial-analysis-based input-output model for virtual-water quantification and metabolic-network identification in Kyrgyzstan

In this study, a two-stage factorial-analysis-based input-output model (TFA-IOM) is advanced for virtual water assessment, which integrates techniques of factorial analysis (FA) and ecological network analysis (ENA) into input-output model (IOM). TFA-IOM can not only identify the crucial water transaction sectors and the associated integral utility relationships, but also investigate the individual and interactive effects of multiple factors on virtual water metabolic network (VWMN) through measuring water consumptions of different sectors. The developed TFA-IOM is applied to Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia to quantify its virtual water and identify its metabolic network, where agricultural and animal husbandry sectors are the main water consumers. Our major findings are: (i) Kyrgyzstan is a country relying on net virtual water import (reaching up to 3,242 × 106 m3); (ii) WHT (wheat) is the main virtual water supplier (with 349 × 106 m3 virtual water to others); (iii) WHT, VGF (vegetables, fruit, and nuts), PFB (plant-based fibers), CTL (bovine cattle) and RMK (raw milk) are the main sectors affecting the VWMN (e.g., utility relationship and integral virtual water recycling index). From a long-term and sustainable development point view, stimulating Kyrgyzstan’s domestic WHT and RMK productions and improving VGF, PFB and CTL water-use efficiencies can facilitate reducing net virtual water import and promoting the mutualism degree of the national VWMN.

Influence of Biopolymers on the Mechanical Behavior of Earth-Based Building Materials

Currently, the largest among the earth excavation sites in Europe are located in the Paris region. The soils excavated from these sites are often considered waste and are not valorized. With an increasing focus on sustainable development, the demand for low-carbon building materials is rising. Although construction using raw earth is a vernacular technique, the diversity in the behavior of the raw earth building materials warrants better control of their mechanical properties. The construction techniques differ depending on the location of the site, the composition of the earth, and the stabilizers used. Plant-based fibers and compounds extracted from plants are commonly used for reinforcing raw earth. Since such byproduct solutions have been developed worldwide, they differ significantly, and it becomes difficult to set a benchmark. The majority of the reported studies have directly used organic waste, rendering it difficult to characterize the material and extend the obtained results to other contexts. In order to reduce these variabilities, it becomes important to study the reinforcement of earth-based building materials with biopolymers that constitute the active molecules of the bio-based solutions. In the present study, different biopolymers derived from various vernacular techniques were utilized to increase the compressive strength of the construction soil collected from the Paris region. It was revealed that cellulose fibers and wheat starch increased the compressive strength of the earth from 3.5 MPa to 5.5 MPa and 4.5 MPa, respectively. In addition, the interactions of these biopolymers with clay were analyzed. The biopolymers identified as suitable for use in construction materials in the present study are widely available as wastes from paper, agricultural, or agro-food industries. These identified biopolymers would contribute to the development and standardization of construction using earth-based building materials.

Effects of Dietary Fiber on Nutrients Utilization and Gut Health of Poultry: A Review of Challenges and Opportunities.

Simple SummaryThe inclusion of agricultural co-products has been increased to utilize the nutrients in these products available at low cost, but inherently, it adds a high dietary fiber content in the poultry diets. The use of exogenous feed enzymes along with advancements in feed milling, feed formulation, and processing of these non-conventional ingredients to improve their digestibility and utilization have played an emphatic role in boosting their use globally. Despite such developments, the presence of a high level of dietary fibers (DF) acting in an anti-nutritive manner still poses challenges in poultry feeding. Various isolated forms of fiber or feed enzymes to break DF into fermentable substrates are being used extensively to provide potential prebiotics to support beneficial gut microbiota or probiotics to improve the gut health of poultry raised without antibiotic growth promoters (AGP). This review reports and discusses the existing challenges in feeding high-DF feed ingredients to poultry and the opportunities that are available to improve the nutritive value of such non-conventional feed ingredients by adopting various technologies.Many fibrous ingredients incorporated in poultry feed to reduce production costs have low digestibility and cause poor growth in poultry. However, all plant-based fibers are not equal, and thus exert variable physiological effects on the birds, including but not limited to, digestibility, growth performance, and microbial fermentation. Several types of fibers, especially oligosaccharides, when supplemented in poultry diets in isolated form, exhibit prebiotic effects by enhancing beneficial gut microbiota, modulating gut immunity, boosting intestinal mucosal health, and increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the gut. Recently, poultry producers are also facing the challenge of limiting the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in poultry feed. In addition to other alternatives in use, exogenous non-starch polysaccharides digesting enzymes (NSPase) and prebiotics are being used to provide substrates to support the gut microbiome. We also conducted a meta-analysis of different studies conducted in similar experimental conditions to evaluate the variability and conclusiveness in effects of NSPase on growth performance of broilers fed fibrous ingredients. This review presents a holistic approach in discussing the existing challenges of incorporating high-fiber ingredients in poultry feed, as well as strategies to fully utilize the potential of such ingredients in improving feed efficiency and gut health of poultry.

Biodegradable composites for filament winding process

The extensive use of composites materials has created disposal and environmental issues. With awareness of preserving the environment, the use of environmentally friendly, sustainable and biodegradable composites have been started. From few decades, natural fiber-reinforced composites (NFRC’s) and bio-degradable resins are used extensively for automotive, construction and other applications. The hybridization of synthetic fiber with natural fiber has gained the attention of researchers. The axisymmetric components such as pressure vessel, driveshaft, storage tanks, pipes, etc. are fabricated by filament winding process. Commonly glass, carbon, aramid fibers are used for this process. The use of natural fibers is challenging in filament winding as these fibers are not continuous, hydrophilic nature, poor bonding with matrix, available geographically, less tensile strength as compare to synthetic fibers. This paper is intended to explore the potential of natural fiber for the filament winding process. High cellulose content and low microfibril angle (MFA) in plant fiber are responsible for the high strength of the natural fiber. Surface modification techniques improve the adhesion between fiber and matrix which results in improving the tensile strength of the composite. Few researchers used sisal, flax and jute fiber for the filament winding process. This paper contains, an outline of filament winding process parameters like fiber tension, winding pattern, winding angle, optimum winding pattern and potential of few plant-based natural fibers and their properties have been highlighted for filament winding process. Also, surface modification techniques to improve the tensile strength of a few plant-based fibers are also been discussed. The global composite pressure vessel synthetic material market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth rate (CAGR) of 23% from 2017 to 2023. The development of a new hybrid composite made of natural and synthetic fiber suitable for filament winding need to be discovered.

Different Types of Plant-Based Fiber in a Protein-Containing Meal During Satiety and Hunger States: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Fiber content of a meal is distinctly effective in appetite. There are studies that draw attention to the effects of protein and fiber combined meals on short-term satiety and food intake. This study was performed to examine the effects of different fiber sources in a protein-containing meal during satiety and hunger. The study was carried out once a week on the same day and for three-week duration, with total of 17 randomly selected participants with ages between 18 and 24 years. The test foods containing different vegetable fiber sources (chickpeas and oats) were given to the participants every week as isocaloric, which have been the control food for a week. The satiety status was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) for total of five times as immediately before the test food consumption and at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after consumption. Fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels were measured. A 24-hour retrospective food consumption record was obtained the next day. There was no statistically significant difference among the VAS results of the three groups, which were given chickpea + yoghurt (CY), oat + yoghurt (OY), and yoghurt (Y) as control (p> 0.05). No significant difference was observed in ad libitum food intake after the test food and daily energy intake determined by 24-hour food consumption records (p> 0.05). However, the energy and macronutrient intake of the OY group at the ad libitum lunch and the rest of the day were significantly lower than that of CY. The difference between blood glucose levels during hunger and satiety states of CY group was found significant (p <0.05). Collectively, the VAS findings revealed that consumption of fiber-enriched meal has a significant effect on short-term satiety, daily energy intake and blood glucose level control compared to a protein-only meal, however no significant difference was observed between the types of fiber consumed. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT 04601025. Keywords: hunger, fiber, protein, satiety, appetite DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/85-13 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Luffa/Epoxy Composites: Electrical Properties for PCB Application

Traditional printed circuit board (PCB) laminates such as FR4 types are formed using epoxy resin and glass fiber. The most important problem with waste PCB laminates is that their recycling cycle is too long. Herein, we aimed to show whether it is possible to use plant-based fibers instead of petroleum-based fibers. In this study, we have fabricated alternative eco-friendly Luffa fiber-reinforced/epoxy PCB (Luffa-PCB) laminates using Luffa fiber instead of glass fiber. We examined the properties of Luffa-PCB laminates for potential applications as PCBs in terms of frequency dependence of dielectric permittivity, capacitance, ac conductivity, impedance, and electric modulus by using impedance spectroscopy method in a frequency ranging from 10 Hz to 10 MHz. Furthermore, we investigated the electrical resistivity properties of Luffa-PCB laminates using electrometer/high resistance meter and resistivity test fixture. All the results were compared with commonly used FR2- and FR4-type PCB laminates. According to the results obtained, it has been found that the produced Luffa-PCB laminates have adequate properties as an alternative to traditional laminates. Thus, a very important step is taken to solve the recycling problem by using plant-based fibers instead of glass fibers.

A life cycle assessment of a ‘minus carbon’ refugee house: global warming potential and sensitivity analysis

PurposeOver the last eight years, the Middle East has experienced a series of high profile conflicts which have resulted in over 5.6 million Syrians forced to migrate to neighbouring countries within the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region or to Europe. That have exerted huge pressure on hosting countries trying to accommodate refugees in decent shelters and in quick manner. Temporary shelters normally carry a high environmental burden due to their short lifespan, and the majority are fabricated from industrialised materials. This study assesses the carbon impact for a minus carbon experimental refugee house in Sweden using life cycle assessment (LCA) as tool. SimaPro and GaBi software were used for the calculations and the ReCiPe midpoint method for impact assessment. The results show that using local plant-based materials such as straw, reeds and wood, together with clay dug from close to the construction site, can drastically reduce the carbon footprint of temporary shelters and even attain a negative carbon impact of 226.2 kg CO2 eq/m2. Based on the results of the uncertainty importance analysis, the overall global warming potential impact without and with sequestration potential are mostly sensitive to the variability of the GWP impact of wood fibre insulation.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is designed to calculate the GWP impact of the refugee house over its entire life cycle (production, operation and maintenance and end of life). Then, the sensitivity analysis was performed to explore the impact of input uncertainties (selection of material from the database and the method) on the total GWP impact of the refugee house with and without sequestration. The ISO standards (International Standard 14040 2006; International Standard 14044 2006) divide the LCA framework into four steps of Goal and scope, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation.FindingsThis study has shown an example for proof of concept for a low impact refugee house prototype using straw, reeds, clay, lime and wood as the principle raw materials for building construction. Using natural materials, especially plant-based fibres, as the main construction materials, proved to achieve a minus carbon outcome over the life cycle of the building. The GWP of the shelter house without and with sequestration are found to be 254.7 kg CO2 eq/m2 and -226.2 kg CO2 eq/m2, respectively.Originality/valueAs there are still very few studies concerned with the environmental impact of temporary refugee housing, this study contributes to the pool of knowledge by introducing a complete LCA calculation for a physical house prototype as a proof of concept on how using low impact raw materials for construction combined with passive solutions for heating and cooling can reach a minus carbon outcome. The GWP of the shelter house without and with sequestration are found to be 254.7 kg CO2 eq/m2 and -226.2 kg CO2 eq/m2.

Sustainability: Obtaining Natural Dyes from Waste Matrices Using the Prickly Pear Peels of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller

In this work, the effect of dyes extracted through the Naviglio method (an eco-innovative solid-liquid extraction technique) was tested, which proved interesting for such an extraction. The dyes extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller waste were treated to maximize the extraction of the coloring molecules. The extraction method was compared with conventional methods under the same conditions. The results showed that the extracts obtained with the different techniques, in the same extraction conditions (solvent, pH, temperature, time), were richer in the pigments for the extract obtained with the Naviglio method. The stability of the dyes was tested before the staining. A plant-based fiber, cotton, as well as an animal-based fiber, wool, were chosen for the staining tests. For the two types of fiber, two etching methods were used: one with rock alum, a method widely used to fix a color and one with lemon juice, a method used for a long time by rural populations who practiced the coloring of hides and tissues. In addition, the qualitative content of the pigments was also verified with an HPLC profile of the Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller extracts. Ultimately, the results suggest that the Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller fruit can be of great interest as a natural source of dyes and be used for tinctures.

Market Chain Analysis of Peanut in Bambasi District; Benishangul Gumuz Region, Western Ethiopia

Peanut is one of the important agricultural food crops of the world. It is an important source of edible oil and source of vegetable protein. It is also significant source of cash in developing countries that contribute significantly to food security and alleviate poverty. Peanuts have a strong nutritional profile. They are an excellent source of plant-based protein, fiber, and many key vitamins and minerals. Peanuts come in many forms, including roasted, salted, chocolate-coated, and as peanut butter. Different types have different nutritional profiles and various health benefits. This study was initiated to Market Analysis of Peanut in Bambasi District; Benishangul Gumuz Region, Western Ethiopia. The focus of the study was to analyze the peanut market channel in the study area. Different variables were hypothesized to determine quantity of peanut supply to the market. The data was supplemented by primary and secondary sources. The multiple linear regression models were applied to estimate the effects of explanatory variables on quantity of peanut supplied to the market. The results obtained from this analysis indicate extension services, volume of peanut produced, distance to the market, and average price of peanut were found to be the most important significant variables influencing peanut marketing in the district. Therefore, providing extension services, improving volume of peanut produced, improving transportation facilities to strengthen the vertical and horizontal linkages among the marketing agents are recommended to develop and strengthen information on peanut product marketing in the study area.

Palm readings: Manicaria saccifera palm fibers are biocompatible textiles with low immunogenicity.

Plant-based fibers are a potential alternative to synthetic polymer fibers that can yield enhanced biocompatibility and mechanical properties matching those properties of tissue. Given the unique morphology of the bract of the Manicaria saccifera palm, being an interwoven meshwork of fibers, we believe that these fibers with this built-in structure could prove useful as a tissue engineering scaffold material. Thus, we first investigated the fiber's in vitro biocompatibility and immunogenicity. We cultured NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts, human aortic smooth muscle cells, and human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on the fiber mats, which all readily attached and over 21days grew to engulf the fibers. Importantly, this was achieved without treating the plant tissue with extracellular matrix proteins or any adhesion ligands. In addition, we measured the gene expression and protein secretion of three target inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-8, and TNFα) from THP-1 human leukemia monocytes cultured in the presence of the biotextile as an in vitro immunological model. After 24h of culture, gene expression and protein secretion were largely the same as the control, demonstrating the low immunogenicity of Manicaria saccifera fibers. We also measured the tensile mechanical properties of the fibers. Individual fibers after processing had a Young's modulus of 9.51±4.38GPa and a tensile strength of 68.62±27.93MPa. We investigated the tensile mechanical properties of the fiber mats perpendicular to the fiber axis (transverse loading), which displayed upwards of 100% strain, but with a concession in strength compared to longitudinal loading. Collectively, our in vitro assessments point toward Manicaria saccifera as a highly biocompatible biotextile, with a range of potential clinical and engineering applications.

Seaweed biomass waste-derived carbon as an electrode material for supercapacitor

Seaweed fibre is usually discarded as biomass waste after extraction of useful ingredients from seaweed. However this seaweed fibre, a natural abundant cellulose material with uniform dimensions 10 times smaller than other plant-based fibre can be utilized as electrode material for energy storage. In this work, we converted seaweed fibre into conductive carbon electrodes by a thermal carbonisation method. The morphology, chemical composition and conductivity are highly influenced by the carbonisation temperature. In comparison to other biomass sources such as cotton pulp, seaweed fibre is finer, smoother and more conductive at low carbonisation temperature. These carbonized seaweeds were then used as a supercapacitor, giving a high supercapacitance (226.3 Fg−1) at the carbonisation temperature of 900°C, and good stability within 2400 cycles. This specific capacitance is significantly higher than values obtained from filter paper or cotton pulp.

Investigation on Effect of Cryogenic Temperature on Mechanical Behavior of Jute and Hemp Fibers Reinforced Polymer Composites

In past few decades, natural fibers which are viable and abundant in nature are the emerging trends in material science as reinforcement for polymer matrix materials and they are the commute for the non-biodegradable, non-renewable and high-density synthetic fibers. Plant-based fibers such as banana, hemp, kenaf, PALF, jute, and coir has been used as reinforcement in a polymer matrix for the applications in consumer goods, furniture’s, civil and automotive structures and low-cost housing structures. The natural fibers used in this study are Hemp and Jute fibers which are finding increasing in the composite material as reinforcements. The main objective of the current work is to examine the mechanical properties of hybrid fibers (hemp and jute) reinforced epoxy composites under room temperature and at cryogenic temperature. From this study, it is clear that tensile, flexural and impact properties of polymer composites are greatly influenced by cryogenic temperature and its properties vary with respect to the extent of cryogenic treatment. The specimens are immersed in liquid nitrogen for the duration of 15, 30, 45 and 60mins and later it is subjected for tensile, flexural and impact properties. The maximum tensile strength of 21.13MPa, flexural strength of 51.95MPa and Impact strength of 8.935kJ/m2 is obtained for an untreated specimen and its value start to decrease as curing time increases. At cryogenic temperature, the material comes harder and loses its ductile property and become brittle due differ in thermal expansion coefficient of matrix and fiber material

Effects of Hybridisation on the Low Velocity Falling Weight Impact and Flexural Properties of Flax-Carbon/Epoxy Hybrid Composites

The trend of research and adoption of natural plant-based fibre reinforced composites is increasing, with traditional synthetic fibres such as carbon and glass experiencing restrictions placed on their manufacture and use by legislative bodies due to their environmental impact through the entire product life cycle. Finding suitable alternatives to lightweight and high-performance synthetic composites will be of benefit to the automotive, marine and aerospace industries. This paper investigates the low-velocity impact (LVI) and flexural properties and damage characteristics of flax-carbon/epoxy hybrid composites to be used in structural lightweight applications. LVI, for example, is analogous to several real-life situations, such as damage during manufacture, feasibly due to human error such as the dropping of tools and mishandling of the finished product, debris strikes of aircraft flight, or even the collision of a vessel with another. Carbon fibre has been hybridised with flax fibres to achieve enhanced impact and flexural performance. The failure mechanisms of woven flax and flax-carbon epoxy hybrid composites have been further analysed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It was observed from the experimental results that carbon fibre hybridisation has a significant effect on the impact and flexural properties and their damage modes. The results obtained from this study exhibited that the flexural strength and modulus of plain flax/epoxy composite increase significantly from 95.66 MPa to 425.87 MPa and 4.78 GPa to 17.90 GPa, respectively, with carbon fibre hybridisation. This significant improvement in flexural properties would provide designers with important information to make informed decisions during material selection for lightweight structural applications.

Physical characteristics, fiber compositions, and tensile properties of nonwoven wipes and toilet papers in relevance to what is flushable

Numerous products, such as moist wipes, are marketed worldwide as “flushable.” Recent studies indicate that wipes cause operational problems (e.g., pipe blockages) in sewer systems. This study investigates potential reasons for why wipes are problematic in sewer operations. Physical characteristics, fiber compositions, and tensile properties of non-flushable wipes, flushable wipes, and toilet papers (TPs) were assessed. Flushables, non-flushables, and TPs, respectively, had sheet masses of 1.5, 1.5, 0.5 g; surface areas of 250, 300, and 120 cm2 per sheet; thicknesses of 360, 370, and 160 μm; and volumes of 9.2, 11, 1.9 cm3 per sheet. While TPs were made of only plant-based fibers, wipes contained plant-based, and regenerated-cellulose (RC) fibers at various ratios, including up to 100% RC fibers. For tensile strength, the maximum force to break a specimen (Fmax) averaged 3 N for dry TPs, and 0.26 N for wet TPs. In contrast, the average Fmax values were 7 N for dry flushables and 5.9 N for their wet sheets. In wet states, TPs lost their strength by an average of 91%, but flushable wipes had variable changes: some wipes gained wet strength by 25%, some lost as much as 90%, and the average effect was a reduction by 29%. Thus, nonwoven wipes retain their strength and structure when wet, presumably because they contain RC fibers, which are known for their high wet strength. Accordingly, using synthetic fibers in flushable wipes seems to be the key reason for why the wipes cause operational problems in sewer systems.