A Holistic Approach to Understanding, Monitoring, and Mitigating Microfibre Pollution

In environmental pollution research, microfibres, or fibre fragments, are broadly defined as fibrous particles released or fragmented from textiles into environmental systems, regard- less of whether they originate from natural, regenerated, or synthetic polymers. Microplastic fibres represent a specific subset of microfibres that are composed of, or coated with, syn- thetic polymeric materials and are classified as microplastics when the polymer constitutes at least 1% by weight of the particle, in line with Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2055. Microfibre pollution occurs throughout the textile life cycle, including manufacturing, wastew- ater treatment, product use, laundering, and end-of-life management. Its assessment remains challenging because microfibre release and detection are governed by multiple interacting factors such as fibre composition, fabric structure, finishing processes, washing conditions, wastewater matrix complexity, and analytical methodology. This work presents a holistic approach by integrating three complementary perspectives: reliable detection, understand- ing of release mechanisms, and development of mitigation and valorisation strategies. The first perspective focuses on sample preparation and monitoring of textile-related wastew- ater matrices, where high organic loads and complex compositions can interfere with the identification of microfibres. Optimised pretreatment, filtration, and spectroscopic analy- sis are required to improve detection reliability and enable comparisons across wastewater treatment stages. The second perspective examines material- and process-related factors governing microfibre release, particularly during laundering and textile processing, by link- ing textile properties, use conditions, and environmental pathways. The third perspective explores solution-oriented approaches, including at-source reduction of microplastic fibre shedding from polyester textiles through surface modification, and the circular valorisation of recovered microfibre-rich waste streams. By combining these elements, this work proposes an integrated framework for evaluating emissions, identifying critical intervention points, and designing practical mitigation strategies that support both pollution prevention and the development of more circular textile value chains.