21/30431780 DC

This standard 21/30431780 DC BS EN ISO 4484-2. Textiles and textile products. Microplastics from textile sources is classified in these ICS categories:

• 59.080.01 Textiles in general
• 13.020.40 Pollution, pollution control and conservation

This method is applicable to the determination of microplastics (from textile sector) collected in different matrices, (e.g. textile process wastewater, clothes washing water, textile process air emissions, textile process solid waste, etc.).

The method allows obtaining a qualitative-quantitative analytical determination of the microplastics able to define the:

1. number,

2. morphology (morphological characteristics)

3. dimensional distribution,

4. the type, chemical origin or nature of polymers and their color, if present.

The method is also able to express the results in terms of estimated surface area and weight of MP per unit sample.

The method allows to express uniquely the results of the quantifications of MP, and therefore with a unit of measurement not depending by the origin of the sample investigated (raw material, manufacturing process, environmental sample (wastewater, e.g. from washing clothes, air, industrial process water, etc.)

The method allows the determination on textile sector samples of matrices of different physical states (solid, liquid or aeriform) for example:

1. solid samples from textile production processes

2. water samples from the textile production process and/or from the washing of clothing

3. air samples for testing the air quality in the workplace of textile companies.

The method, being able to provide information such as size, shape, surface and weight (estimated), will allow to transfer information useful for ecotoxicological assessments to specialists.

Alternatively to a complete definition of the above parameters, is possible to determine, more simply, only the weight of each polymer present in the sample using the thermo-analytical methods reported on Annex D.