Household washing trials measured fiber mass released from selected garments and examined how composition and yarn structure affected release.
Source details
Francesca De Falco, Emilia Di Pace, Mariacristina Cocca, Maurizio Avella. Scientific Reports. 2019.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43023-x
Findings
Household washing trials measured fiber mass released from selected garments and examined how composition and yarn structure affected release.
- 125.0 ± 32.1 mg fibers/kg washed fabric; First wash of study-code BT polyester knit, household synthetic program at 40 °C for 107 min; duplicate trials.
- 48.6 ± 2.2 mg fibers/kg washed fabric; First wash of study-code GB polyester woven blouse, same household washing protocol.
Methods and scope
Whole-effluent staged filtration, gravimetric mass, microscopy and SEM sizes, FTIR identity and thermal analysis for the mixed textile. Empty cleaning cycles and blank tests found no microfiber contamination. Published fiber counts were calculated from mass and assumed geometry, not individually counted.
What this source can support
Direct textile release evidence; pure-polyester mass results are kept separate from blended-cellulose release.
Few garment types and duplicate wash trials limit generalization. Fiber counts depend on geometry assumptions. Smaller fibers in a separate aliquot were not extrapolated to total wastewater. Fabric structure and recycled content were confounded.
Related evidence
Reported values and source locations
| Reported value | Measurement basis | Conditions and size context | Original document location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 125.0 ± 32.1 mg fibers/kg washed fabric | mean ± SD, duplicate wash trials | First wash of study-code BT polyester knit, household synthetic program at 40 °C for 107 min; duplicate trials Whole-effluent staged 400, 60 and 20 µm filtration; filter pore sizes are not fiber lengths | PDF p. 2 First washing cycle; p. 9 Methods |
| 48.6 ± 2.2 mg fibers/kg washed fabric | mean ± SD, duplicate wash trials | First wash of study-code GB polyester woven blouse, same household washing protocol Whole-effluent staged filtration; smaller aliquot fraction not extrapolated | PDF p. 2 First washing cycle; p. 9 Methods |
Source provenance
Primary PDF SHA-256: ec050c3d5049f8e503c90c855677f41777252e2c8e13fad07e86521682c90b25
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