Microfibers From Textiles

By Katherine Kim

When you put clothes into the washing machine, they never come back the same. As they turn and move, the garments shed microfibers. Microfibers can be found everywhere – in our food, water, and oceans. Microfibers are small plastic threads of various textiles having a diameter less than 5 mm, consisting of clothes, fishing nets, cigarette butts, and more. Over the past years, the production and consumption of synthetic materials have increased incredibly, especially in the clothing industry. A single garment composed of microfiber textiles can shed anywhere from 640,000 to 1,500,000 microfibers in a single wash as microfibers come from the shedding of synthetic clothing.

Unfortunately, microfibers have a considerable impact on the environment. As textiles are washed, microfibers are released from domestic drainages into water bodies through wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and river streams. WWTPs remove larger primary fibers, however, high concentrations of microfibers are left behind to be transported into the environment. Researchers have found that within water bodies and water samples, microfibers are the most common type, taking up 52% of water composition. As this continues, microfibers will become greater threats to our natural habitats and health.

Microfabrics can act as magnets to pollutant chemicals that attach to them. The high surface and volume ratio of microfabrics allow contaminants to absorb onto them, which can be toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic or endocrine disruptors – some of the most toxic categories of the toxicity classes. Once ingested, microfibers can cause gut blockage, injury and changes to oxygen levels. A recent paper regarding microfibers discussed the presence of tangled balls of fiber in the gut of a lobster, indicating microfiber pollution. In addition, Researchers have found anthropogenic material, materials derived from human activity, in the guts of 25% of fish and 33% of shellfish in markets near San Diego, CA, with micro fibers representing more than 80% of waste material collected. Microfibers are also more likely to damage tissues and get tangled, blocking the digestive system temporarily, making egestion difficult.

However, microfibers are not only found in oceans and marine animals, they can also be found in our food, water, and drinks. Microfibers and plastics have been found in our tap water. In a study published in 2018, 81% of 159 tap water samples tested contained anthropogenic particles, including microfibers representing 98.5% of the particles found. Microfibers are also contaminating our soil, where we grow food. Apples and carrots have been found to be the most contaminated amongst fruits and vegetables. Microfibers can stunt the growth of plants and crops, leading to our consumption of microfibers as well. Due to this, it is estimated that we consume more than 52,000 particles annually.

Once microfibers enter an environmental ecosystem, such as aquatic and terrestrial environments, they are extremely difficult to remove and can persist for years. Although we may not be directly affected, “ sea life will suffer, which may in turn circle back to affect humans who rely on the sea for food and livelihood”, as the author of this Harvard University article points out.

Works Cited

Wikipedia, https://crs.ul.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2019/07/CRS_041_Microfiber-White-Paper_v4.pdf. Accessed 21 March 2024.

Kupec, Blazej. “What is Microfiber Pollution and How Can We Stop It.” PlanetCare, 17 October 2021, https://blog.planetcare.org/what-is-microfiber-pollution-and-how-can-we-stop-it/. Accessed 21 March 2024.

“Microfiber Pollution.” CT.gov, https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/P2/Microfiber-Pollution. Accessed 12 March 2024.

“Microplastics in Seafood: Prevalence, Implications, and Regulatory Challenges.” SGS Digicomply, 8 December 2023, https://www.digicomply.com/blog/microplastics-in-seafood. Accessed 21 March 2024.

Suaria, Giuseppe. “Microfibers in the ocean: are they all made of plastic?” The Science Breaker, 2 February 2021, https://www.thesciencebreaker.org/breaks/earth-space/microfibers-in-the-ocean-are-they-all-made-of-plastic. Accessed 21 March 2024.

Walker, Imari. “Microfiber Shedding – Environmental Concerns and Proposed Solutions – Sustainable Fashion.” Sustainable Fashion, https://sustainfashion.info/microfiber-shedding-environmental-concerns-and-proposed-solutions/. Accessed 21 March 2024.

Weis, Judith S. “Microplastics | Free Full-Text | Microfibers: Environmental Problems and Textile Solutions.” MDPI, https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8929/1/4/43. Accessed 21 March 2024.

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