Microfiber plastics appear to tumble, roll and move slowly in the environment

A recent study published in Water Resources Research provides the first direct observations of how microfiber plastics move through soil-like materials, revealing they tend to tumble, roll, and often become trapped. Using fluorescent fishing line pieces as analogs, researchers analyzed the fibers’ slow movement compared to microbeads, finding longer fibers moved even more sluggishly. These findings enhance understanding of microfiber mobility, a critical factor for assessing their environmental and health impacts. Microfibers, sourced from synthetic textiles and other materials, dominate global microplastic pollution. The study emphasizes the complexity of tracking microfiber behavior and suggests further research to refine models and explore different fiber types.

For more details, please continue reading the full article under the following link:


In general, if you enjoy reading this kind of scientific news articles, I would also be keen to connect with fellow researchers based on common research interests in materials science, including the possibility to discuss about any potential interest in the Materials Square cloud-based online platform ( www.matsq.com ), designed for streamlining the execution of materials and molecular atomistic simulations!

Best regards,

Dr. Gabriele Mogni
Technical Consultant and EU Representative
Virtual Lab Inc., the parent company of the Materials Square platform
Website: Home | Virtual Lab Inc.
Email: gabriele@simulation.re.kr

#materials #materialsscience #materialsengineering #computationalchemistry #modelling #chemistry #researchanddevelopment #research #MaterialsSquare #ComputationalChemistry #Tutorial #DFT #simulationsoftware #simulation