RESUMEN
Microfibers are thread-like structures shorter than 5 mm and have natural, semisynthetic, or synthetic origins. These micropollutants are ubiquitous and are emerging in the environment, living organisms, and food sources. Textile laundering is a prominent source of microfibers, but limited research has been conducted on microfiber pollution from domestic washing machines in emerging economies such as India, where consumption and production rates are exorbitantly high. This study aimed to assess the abundance and size distribution of microfibers from the effluent of a semiautomatic domestic washing machine using three categories of "not-new" textiles: cotton, blended, and synthetic under "with" and "without" detergent conditions. Although most Indians still rely on hand washing, this study focused on washing machines due to their increasing use in India driven by improving socioeconomic factors. This study also developed annual emission estimation and forecasting models for India to understand pollution trends. The results revealed that microfibers were highly abundant in washing machine effluent, with a mean abundance of cotton, blended, and synthetic in "with detergent" conditions of 6476.67, 3766.67, and 8645/L, respectively, whereas in "without detergent," it was lower. All identified microfibers were divided into five size classes. The study also found that powdered detergent increased the abundance and emission of tiny fibers. The overall annual emissions estimate was 1.23 × 1011 microfibers, with cotton, synthetic, and blended categories accounting for 2.11 × 1010, 1.40 × 1010, and 6.15 × 109 microfibers, respectively. Time-series-based future estimates (autoregressive integrated moving average [ARIMA] and error-trend-seasonality [ETS]) showed an alarming increase in microfiber emissions, with forecasted annual emission reaching 1.90 × 1011 by 2030. Synthetic and cotton textiles are the most significant contributors to microfiber pollution. This study emphasized the urgent need to address the issue of microfiber pollution caused by washing machine laundering in developing countries, such as India, where sociodemographic factors intensify the problem. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-12. © 2024 SETAC.
RESUMEN
The prevalence of microplastics in urban mangrove ecosystems has received little scientific attention despite their immense ecological significance. An investigation was conducted to assess the microplastic abundance and characteristics in three different environmental compartments viz; soil (933 ± 564 particles/kg), sediment (1275 ± 532 particles/kg d.w.), and water (101.6 ± 24 particles/liter) of the Mangalavanam bird sanctuary, a protected mangrove forest in the Cochin city of India. Microplastic fibres were predominant in water, while soil and sediment contained a higher proportion of microplastic fragments. Importantly, surrounding urban features and tidal fluctuation were considered to be influencing microplastic metrics in the area. The colour composition of microplastics was found to be similar in all three environmental compartments and most of the identified polymers were those which are scarcely recycled. Altogether, this study highlights the importance of adopting location-specific measures to protect the area from microplastic pollution and provides the baseline data required for further assessing the impacts of microplastic pollution on mangroves, avifauna, and other components of biodiversity in the region.