Microfibers: From the Store to the Shore

Have you ever noticed that some plastics that end up in the environment do not biodegrade? Instead, they are fragmented into smaller pieces.Microplastics are plastics that are less than 5mm in length. Microfibers are the most abundant type of microplastics (Xu, et al.,2018). They are the teeny-tiny particles of synthetic and non-synthetic material that come off of our clothing during the wash cycle (Hirsh, S. et al., 2019).Both synthetic and non-synthetic microfibers have a negative effect on our environment due to their insolubility in water (Sewport, et al.,2019). For example, fish eat microfibers without knowing because the fibers are so small. When they eat them, the fish have less space in their stomachs for their actual food that they really need.The synthetic microfibers come from clothes that are made with polyester, acrylic, and nylon (Sahven.V, et al,.2019). It is harder for synthetic materials to breakdown in the environment because they are made from chemicals. Given that synthetic fibers are less prone to breakdown, they cause more unfavorable effects, for example, they absorb a wide variety of pollutants (Sewport, et al.,2019). This research is focusing on comparing clothing among stores in New York City to determine which store's clothing will contribute the most microfibers to the environment. The results can be used to inform the stores about their potential environmental impact so they can consider alternative materials.