Researchers from the University of Nottingham have found a much higher percentage of natural fibres than microplastic fibres in freshwater and atmospheric samples in the UK.
The findings raise the question of whether we know enough about the environmental threat of some of the plastic alternatives we are turning to, to help save the planet.
“One of the most prevalent forms of plastic pollution, and one that has been widely reported in the media, is synthetic textile fibres such as polyester, nylon and acrylic,” says Tom Stanton, lead researcher on the study and Papplewick Pumping Station Water Education Trust Scholar.
“These fibres are made from plastic polymers and enter the environment in a number of ways, but most infamously in washing machine effluent,” he continues. “Concern over this emission of microplastic pollution has led some to favour clothing made from natural fibres such as cotton and wool.”
Over a 12-month period, experts from the university’s School of Geography and the Faculty of Engineering Food, Water, Waste Research Group, collected 223 samples from 10 sites from the River Trent, the River Leen and the River Soar, and four roofs of the university’s UK teaching campuses, and found that natural textile fibres represented over 93% of the textile fibre population measured.
Microplastic textile fibres, such as polyester and nylon, were absent from 82.8% of samples, whereas natural textile fibres were absent from just 9.7% of samples.
Microplastic pollution has gained a great deal of scientific, political and media attention in recent years, leading to widespread concern. As the impact of plastic and microplastic pollution has grown, many people and companies have made a considerable effort to minimise the amount of plastic they use in their day-to-day lives.
For some, this has included an increase in the use of plastic alternatives, such as natural fibres including cotton and wool, the environmental impacts of which are not always considered and are rarely raised in the debate on plastic pollution.
The potential role of natural textile fibres such as cotton and wool, as an environmental pollutant, has been speculated on by some environmental scientists, but there has been a general consensus that their biodegradability reduces their environmental threat, in comparison to that of plastic.
However, natural textile fibres are the product of multiple potentially hazardous processes and are inherently unnatural. For example, the commercial production of cotton fibres requires large quantities of water, pesticides and herbicides and the wastewaters of the textile industry have also been long recognised as sources of chemical pollutants.
While these risks remain poorly understood, this new research from the University of Nottingham has found high concentrations of natural fibres in samples of river water and atmospheric deposition.
“As our research shows, there is a high percentage of natural fibres in our water – and we don’t really understand what impact this might have on the environment,” says Stanton. “What do we really know about the alternatives we are using in our efforts to curb plastic pollution? Much more needs to be done, before we can confidently say which of the alternatives available to us are the best for our planet.”
This is just one research project experts at the University of Nottingham are working on to help address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6: clean water and sanitation.
The aim is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The University of Nottingham is trying to address these challenges via its growing water research network of 125 academics across all five faculties.
The results of the project are published in the journal Science of the Total Environment – Freshwater and airborne textile fibre populations are dominated by ‘natural’, not microplastic, fibres.
