From the Laundry to the Ocean: A Study on Fabric Shedding and Fiber Degradation

Plastics have long polluted the world’s oceans and waterways.  New research has shown that textile fibers are included in this pollution and are working their way through the food web causing harm to aquatic life.  Research has been focused on the presence and persistence of synthetic fibers, but very little is known about how cotton fibers perform in aquatic environments.  This study is focused on the generation of microfibers through the laundering of knit fabrics.  The fibers of interest in this study include cotton, viscose rayon and polyester.  Research has shown that cotton biodegrades in soil.  This study evaluates the degradation of the aforementioned fibers in wastewater treatment effluent, fresh water and coastal sea water.