A study published in New Contaminants in September found that sunlight can convert certain kinds of textile waste found in marine environments into microfibers.
What’s happening?
“Microplastics … have garnered significant concern in marine environments, and are acquiring increasing concern, due to their persistent organic pollutants-like characteristics, including environmental persistence, bioaccumulation potential, long-range transportability, and ecotoxicological risks,” according to the paper, shared by Maximum Academic Press.
Textile waste is a significant contributor to microplastics pollution in oceans, and polyethylene terephthalate fabrics, in particular, have become a major concern.
As such, researchers decided to take a look at how PET fabrics in marine environments are affected by the sun and whether dark fabrics degrade more quickly than light ones.
The results showed that after only 12 days of exposure to laboratory-accelerated UV irradiation, PET fabrics began releasing microfiber fragments, which contribute to microplastic pollution and accumulate in organisms such as shrimp, zooplankton, and fish.
Researchers additionally discovered that “47,400, 37,020, 23,250, and 14,400 microfiber fragments were released from 0.1 g of purple, green, yellow, and blue textiles,” indicating that darker fabrics do indeed degrade faster than lighter ones.
Why is this study concerning?
Microplastics from degraded textiles and plastics are a part of our lives from which there’s no escape. These minute particles are in soil, water, air, the food we eat, and the products we use. Other research has estimated that the average adult ingests the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of microplastics per week.
Studies have also linked microplastics to all kinds of health issues, including an increased risk of heart problems, hormone disruption, digestive issues, inflammation. This makes the overabundance of these tiny particles a significant concern.
We aren’t the only ones suffering negative effects from microplastics, either. Wildlife — particularly marine animals — are consuming and breathing in these materials, which cause adverse health effects for them, too.
Since microplastics never leave our bodies, it means that we and all other organisms will have to deal with the consequences of this pollution indefinitely.
How can I reduce my exposure to microplastics?
While you can’t eliminate your exposure to microplastics, you can limit it.
If you’re concerned about microfibers being released in your washing machine, you can wash your clothing in cold water and add a microfiber filter to your appliance. Additionally, you can seek items made from natural rather than synthetic fibers.
Reducing the amount of plastic you use, in general, will also reduce your exposure.
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