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Le LT, Nguyen KQN, Nguyen PT, Duong HC, Bui XT, Hoang NB, Nghiem LD. Microfibers in laundry wastewater: Problem and solution. Sci Total Environ 2022; 852:158412. [PMID: 36055511 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Data corroborated in this study highlights laundry wastewater as a primary source of microfibers (MFs) in the aquatic environment. MFs can negatively impact the aquatic ecosystem via five possible pathways, namely, acting as carriers of other contaminats, physical damage to digestive systems of aquatic organisms, blocking the digestive tract, releasing toxic chemicals, and harbouring invasive and noxious plankton and bacteria. This review shows that small devices to capture MFs during household laundry activities are simple to use and affordable at household level in developed countries. However, these low cost and small devices are unrealiable and can only achieve up to 40 % MF removal efficiency. In line filtration devices can achieve higher removal efficiency under well maintained condition but their performance is still limited compared to over 98 % MF removal by large scale centralized wastewater treatment. These results infer that effort to increase sanitation coverage to ensure adequate wastewater treatment prior to environmental discharge is likely to be more cost effective than those small devices for capturing MFs. This review also shows that natural fabrics would entail significantly less environmental consequences than synthetic materials. Contribution from the fashion industry to increase the share of natural frabics in the current textile market can also reduce the loading of plastic MFs in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linh-Thy Le
- Faculty of Public Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP), Ward 11, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City 72714, Viet Nam; Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet nam
| | - Kim-Qui N Nguyen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet nam
| | - Phuong-Thao Nguyen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet nam
| | - Hung C Duong
- Center for Technology in Water and Wastewater, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Environmental Engineering, Le Quy Don Technical University, 236 Hoang Quoc Viet, Co Nhue, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Xuan-Thanh Bui
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet nam
| | - Ngoc Bich Hoang
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Long D Nghiem
- Center for Technology in Water and Wastewater, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Institute of Environmental Sciences, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
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