Estimation of Laundry-derived Microfiber Discharges into Wastewater: A Case Study in Hanoi City
Main Article Content
Abstract
Household wastewater is a major source of microplastic (MP) emissions, with domestic laundry recognized as a key pathway for microfiber release into aquatic systems. Although previous studies have confirmed this emission pathway, data from Vietnam remain limited. This study aimed to provide preliminary data on microfiber release (including abundance, physical characteristics, and polymer composition) from household washing. Thirty laundry wastewater samples from Hanoi households were analyzed to assess microfiber abundance and characteristics. Microplastic abundance was very high, averaging 96,296 ± 68,938 microplastics/m³, with fibers comprising 99.6% of total MPs. Twelve polymer types were identified, with polypropylene (PP) being predominant (52.2%). Most fibers were 300-1,000 µm in length, and eight color groups were recorded, with black (39.18%) and white (26.07%) being the most common. These findings highlight that household laundry wastewater is a significant source of microfiber emissions, posing potential risks to both the environment and human health.
Keywords:
Microplastics, laundry, wastewater, Hanoi.
References
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pp. 119187,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.119187.
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P. Wang, Z. Liang, H. P. H. Arp, G. Li, B. Xing, Global Microplastic Fiber Pollution from Domestic Laundry, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 2, 2024, pp. 135290,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135290.
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https://doi-org.dbvista.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/ j.dyepig.2019.108120.
[12] W. Bao, R. H. Gong, X. Ding, Y. Xue, P. Li,
W. Fan, Optimizing a Laundering Program for Textiles in a Front-loading Washing Machine and Saving Energy, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 148, 2017, pp. 415-421,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.01.161.
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http//doi.org158511. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158511.
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J. Raimundo, Microplastics in Wastewater: Microfiber Emissions from Common Household Laundry, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol. 27, 2020, pp. 26643-26649, http://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08765-6.
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C. B. Tabelin, O. Juntarasakul, T. Phengsaart, The Influence of Textile Type, Textile Weight, and Detergent Dosage on Microfiber Emissions from Top-loading Washing Machines, Toxics, Vol. 12, No. 3, 2024, pp. 210,
http://doi.org/ 10.3390/toxics12030210.
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A. Montarsolo, S. Gavignano, C. Tonin,
M. Avella, Evaluation of Microplastic Release Caused by Textile Washing Processes of Synthetic Fabrics, Environmental Pollution, Vol. 236, 2018, pp. 916-925, http://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.011.
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G. Eppe, G. Lepoint, When Microplastic is not Plastic: The Ingestion of Artificial Cellulose Fibers by Macrofauna Living in Seagrass Macrophytodetritus, Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 49, 2015, pp. 11158-11166, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b02005.
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R. Bellopebe, Release of Microplastic Fibers from Synthetic Textiles During Household Washing, Environmental Pollution, Vol. 357, 2024,
pp. 124455, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124455.
[25] B. Luzi, M. C. Miino, E. C. Rada, R. Zullo, A. P. D. Baltrocchi, V. Torretta, S. Galafassi, Critical Review of Microfiber Release from Textiles: Results, Comparative Challenges, Mitigation Strategies, and Legislative Perspectives, Chemosphere, Vol. 378, 2025, pp. 144394, https://doi-org.dbvista.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/ j.chemosphere.2025.144394.