Capturing microfibers - marketed technologies reduce microfiber emissions from washing machines

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Microfibers are a prevalent form of microplastic pollution.
• Domestic laundering is a significant source of microfiber release into aquatic environments.
• Washing machine effluent can contain thousands of microfibers per wash cycle.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and apply methods for quantifying microfibers in laundry effluent.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Cora Ball and Lint LUV-R filter in reducing microfiber emissions.
• To compare the microfiber capture efficiency of the two technologies.

Main Methods:

• Adapted existing techniques to measure microfiber length, count, and weight in laundry effluent.
• Tested the efficacy of the Cora Ball and Lint LUV-R filter using fleece blankets.
• Analyzed washing machine effluent before and after the application of the technologies.

Main Results:

• Both the Cora Ball and Lint LUV-R filter significantly reduced microfiber numbers in effluent.
• The Lint LUV-R filter captured an average of 87% of microfibers by count.
• The Cora Ball captured an average of 26% of microfibers by count, and the Lint LUV-R also reduced total weight and average fiber length.

Conclusions:

• The Lint LUV-R filter and Cora Ball are effective in reducing microfiber emissions from laundering textiles.
• The Lint LUV-R filter demonstrated higher microfiber capture efficiency compared to the Cora Ball.
• These technologies offer a viable solution to mitigate microfiber pollution from domestic laundry.