Cotton-polyester blends release more microplastics than previously understood, especially compared to 100% polyester fabrics, a new fibre separation method has shown. The study, conducted by researchers from Deakin University (Australia), applied a modified ISO standard using acid digestion to distinguish synthetic fibres from biodegradable ones.
- Polyester-cotton blends showed higher total shedding than pure polyester, largely due to cotton’s structural properties.
- Researchers used FTIR and SEM tools to identify polyester fragments after chemical separation from cotton fibres.
- These fibre blends are integral to global supply chains across apparel, home textiles, and institutional fabrics.
THE STUDY: Titled Decoding microplastic shedding from cotton/polyester blends: An analysis through fiber identification, the research was conducted by Yi Zhang, Abu Naser Md Ahsanul Haque, Shervin Ranjbar, David Tester, and Maryam Naebe. It was published in the journal Environmental Pollution.
- The paper presents a novel method for isolating and quantifying synthetic microplastics from blended fabrics.
- The publication introduces a validated analytical method to quantify polyester shedding from blended fabrics.
- The method claims to correct longstanding misclassifications in past fibre-shedding research.
- Researchers chemically removed the cotton content to isolate the synthetic fraction.
- They then assessed microplastic weight and morphology with improved accuracy.