Researchers have found that sunlight plays a critical role in turning everyday polyester textiles into marine microplastics. More critically, the scientists behind the study found that textile color, especially dark dyes, strongly accelerates this process.
Unfortunately, synthetic microfibers are the most common microplastics in seawater and pose ecological risks because they are persistent, can carry toxins and can easily enter food webs and climb up the food chain.
Shockingly, everyday washing can be a major source of these pollutants. Fibers from PET fabrics used in clothing, carpets and curtains are frequently shed during washing. The researchers from the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences and Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology estimate that a single laundry cycle can release hundreds of thousands of fibers, and sadly, many of these are able to reach coastal waters.
Once in the marine environment, these fibers are exposed to hydrolysis, abrasion and most importantly, UV-driven photoaging, which turns them into microplastics. Up to this point, the influence of dye chemistry and color had been unclear.
In terms of which colors are most affected, the team behind the research found that PET in Green and Purple are most affected by UV-Photoaging, with purple breaking down much quicker than most other colors.
The team found that dye chemistry plays a critical role in UV breakdown, which hopefully opens up opportunities for scientists to develop dyes that are much more UV-stable. This should help reduce the number of microfibers entering our oceans.
For more information, you can read the research published in New Contaminants.
