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Reuse of COVID-19 face mask for the amelioration of mechanical properties of fat clay: A novel solution to an emerging waste problem.
Rehman, Zia Ur; Khalid, Usama.
  • Rehman ZU; Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Taxila 47080, Pakistan. Electronic address: ziaur.rehman@uettaxila.edu.pk.
  • Khalid U; Civil Engineering Department, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology (KFUEIT), Rahim Yar Khan 64200, Pakistan. Electronic address: ukhalid@kfueit.edu.pk.
Sci Total Environ ; 794: 148746, 2021 Nov 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1284517
ABSTRACT
Not only has the COVID-19 pandemic caused a global health crisis, but it has also changed the dynamics of waste generation around the world. This situation demands a productive solution for face mask (FM) waste management to solve several associated environmental issues. In the current study, a novel soil treatment method is proposed for the improvement of mechanical characteristics of fat clay by using FM as fiber reinforcement and silica fume (SF) as the cementitious agent in the form of a composite binary admixture (CBA). The performance of the proposed CBA is compared with SF and FM as the lone stabilizers by conducting extensive geotechnical testing. The SF treatment exponentially improves the strength characteristics of soil but it marginalizes the ductility of soil, inviting sudden failure and instability under dynamic loadings. It is observed that the proposed CBA not only improves the strength characteristics more than SF but also regulates the ductility and deformability of treated soil due to the presence of FM fibers. In addition, the policies and protocols on the logistics of collecting FM waste and making it ready for the proposed geotechnical application are reviewed; associated health risks, socioeconomic conditions and available technologies are the major governing factors to formulate and implement these policies. Moreover, the prolonged storage of COVID-19 FM waste for disinfection is found to be suitable for the proposed soil stabilization method as per the literature. The current study helps in achieving cost-effective filler/foundation material, solving COVID-19 FM waste problems and promoting resource conservation.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 / Masks Type of study: Prognostic study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Sci Total Environ Year: 2021 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 / Masks Type of study: Prognostic study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Sci Total Environ Year: 2021 Document Type: Article