Adverse environmental effects of disposable face masks due to the excess usage.
Environ Pollut
; 308: 119674, 2022 Sep 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1905564
ABSTRACT
The widespread use of disposable face masks as a preventative strategy to address transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been a key environmental concern since the pandemic began. This has led to an unprecedented new form of contamination from improperly disposed masks, which liberates significant amounts of heavy metals and toxic chemicals in addition to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Therefore, this study monitored the liberation of heavy metals, VOCs, and microfibers from submerged disposable face masks at different pH (4, 7 and 12), to simulate distinct environmental conditions. Lead (3.238% ppb), cadmium (0.672 ppb) and chromium (0.786 ppb) were found in the analyzed leachates. By pyrolysis, 2,4-dimethylhept-1-ene and 4-methylheptane were identified as the VOCs produced by the samples. The chemically degraded morphology in the FESEM images provided further evidence that toxic heavy metals and volatile organic compounds had been leached from the submerged face masks, with greater degradation observed in samples submerged at pH 7 and higher. The results are seen to communicate the comparable danger of passively degrading disposable face masks and the release of micro- or nanofibers into the marine environment. The toxicity of certain heavy metals and chemicals released from discarded face masks warrants better, more robust manufacturing protocols and increased public awareness for responsible disposal to reduce the adverse impact on ecology and human health.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Metals, Heavy
/
Volatile Organic Compounds
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
Topics:
Variants
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Environ Pollut
Journal subject:
Environmental Health
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.envpol.2022.119674
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS