Microcontaminants and microplastics in water from the textile sector: a review and a database of physicochemical properties, use in the textile process, and ecotoxicity data for detected chemicals

Abstract

Microcontaminants (MCs) and microplastics (MPs) originating from the textile sector are today receiving a great deal of attention due to potential environmental concerns. Environmental pressures and impacts related to the textile system include not only the use of resources (e.g., water) but also the release of a wide variety of pollutants. This review's main objective is to highlight the presence of textile MCs and MPs in water, in their full path from textile factories (from raw materials to the final product) to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and finally to the receiving surface waters. Their environmental fate and ecotoxicity were also addressed. Overall, more than 500 compounds were found, many of which are so called “contaminants of environmental concern” such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and alkylphenol compounds. A database of physicochemical properties, ecotoxicity, and place of detection (specific textile process, WWTP, surface water or sediment) (classification by several international agencies) was compiled for the chemical detected. Preliminary risk assessment was conducted for those MCs for which the reported environmental concentrations exceeded the Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC). These chemicals were some nonylphenols, nonylphenol ethoxylates and organophosphate esters. Among MPs, polyester and nylon fibres were the most abundant. The highest concentration of MPs was reported in sludge (about 1.4 × 10⁶ MPs per kg) compared to wastewater and surface water which showed MP concentrations at least two orders of magnitude lower. The role of transboundary contamination due to the release of chemicals from imported textile products was also assessed.