Investigating Microplastics with Methods Used in Nanoparticle Studies

(Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, June 26, 2017)

The presence of microplastics in our wastewater can be attributed primarily to two factors. Firstly, many cosmetic products, such as toothpaste, creams, shower gels, and peelings, contain tiny pieces of plastic in order to achieve a mechanical cleaning effect. Secondly, microplastics are washed out in the process of washing polymer textile clothing, and thus they enter our environment via wastewater. On the basis of their nanoparticle research, a team of researchers from the EMPA published a first quantitative investigation of the release of microfibers from polyester textiles during washing. In this study, the Empa team primarily investigated the ways in which washing agents, water temperature, and the number and length of wash cycles affect the release of microfibers.