Standardized workflow extracts sterile textile particles for cell studies

Researchers have developed a standardized, water-based extraction workflow designed to generate representative and cell-culture compatible materials released from textiles for in vitro studies. The study, published in the journal Microplastics and Nanoplastics, addresses a significant gap in current toxicological research, where existing in vitro studies often lack environmental relevance because they rely on simplified, size-standardized, or pristine test materials that fail to mimic the complexity of real-world textile emissions.

The team, led by Stephanie Eitner and Peter Wick, established a protocol using a Gyrowash extraction method to obtain sterile and environmentally relevant particle suspensions directly derived from textiles. This approach is critical because textile-derived fibers and particles are increasingly recognized as an important source of human and environmental exposure. While synthetic textile particles have been intensively studied as a major source of micro- and nanoplastic pollution, the researchers noted that textile emissions in real-world environments are far more diverse, including synthetic, natural, and biobased materials. These materials release highly complex particulate mixtures that vary widely in size, shape, and chemical composition, exhibiting diverse fibrous and non-fibrous morphologies.

The new workflow was specifically optimized to preserve fiber integrity while providing sterile, cell-culture-compatible samples that can be accurately quantified.

To validate the workflow, the team optimized the protocol to enable a reproducible assessment of material-driven effects in the Calu-3 lung epithelial cell model. The study demonstrated that the workflow supports more realistic and comparable investigations of these health effects by providing a robust and standardized platform for obtaining representative textile-derived particle samples.

The protocol also includes optional steps for advanced physiochemical characterization, which facilitate comprehensive material analysis and help identify potential contamination sources.

Subject of Research: Standardized extraction of textile-derived particles for in vitro toxicology

Article Title: A novel workflow for generating representative and cell-culture compatible materials released from textiles for in vitro studies

Article References: Eitner, S., Zimmermann, E. J., Kissling, V. M., Buerki-Thurnherr, T., Nowack, B., & Wick, P. (2026). A novel workflow for generating representative and cell-culture compatible materials released from textiles for in vitro studies. Microplastics and Nanoplastics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-026-00244-y

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s43591-026-00244-y

Keywords: textile emissions, microplastics, nanoplastics, in vitro studies, Gyrowash extraction, Calu-3 cells, cell culture compatibility, particle morphology, toxicology, standardized workflow, physiochemical characterization, lung epithelial cells, environmental exposure, synthetic fibers, natural fibers, biobased materials, research methodology, particle quantification, contamination control, health effects