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Environmental Impact of Disposable Face Masks: Degradation, Wear, and Cement Mortar Incorporation
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This study examined the environmental impact of disposable face masks, measuring their degradation into microplastics under UV and mechanical stress, assessing how masks wear during use, and testing whether mask materials affect cement mortar properties if incorporated into construction. Masks were found to fragment readily and could affect construction material performance.
Abstract Polypropylene (PP) disposable face masks (DFMs) are essential for limiting airborne infectious diseases. This study examines the behavior of DFMs under three scenarios: i) exposure to the natural environment; ii) simulated high-energy aquatic environments through an abrasion test; and iii) incorporation into cement-based mortars. In the natural weathering experiment, after 117 days, the DFMs exhibited photodegradation, resulting in chemical alterations in carbonyl and hydroxyl groups. This degradation led to the breakdown of the polymer and the release of microplastics and nanoplastics. Controlled abrasion tests, conducted in a Denver ball with water, sand, and ceramic balls for 2 hours, confirmed that water is a critical factor for fiber release from DFMs. These tests resulted in the release of 0.26 g of PP fibers from 20 DFMs (weighing 62 g in total) with a diameter of 20 µm. Weathering and abrasion tests indicated rapid release and degradation of microplastics and nanoplastics, underscoring the importance of pursuing actions like reuse. Ecotoxicological tests revealed that leachates from the DFM-incorporated mortars showed no adverse effects on Daphnia magna or Selenastrum capricornutum, unlike the reference mortar, which caused substantial toxicity to Daphnia magna. Incorporating PP fibers from DFMs into cement-based mortars showed promising potential, as indicated by favorable ecotoxicity and chemical leaching test results.
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Environmental impact of disposable face masks: degradation, wear, and cement mortar incorporation
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Researchers examined how disposable polypropylene face masks break down in the environment, releasing microplastics and nanoplastics after just 117 days of outdoor exposure. The study also tested incorporating shredded mask material into cement mortar and found it did not significantly harm the material's structural properties, suggesting construction applications as one way to divert mask waste from the environment.
Fate of Microplastics Released by DiscardedDisposable Masks
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Researchers simulated the degradation of disposable face masks under UV irradiation and found that after 28 days, masks released large numbers of microplastic particles, with the main chain structure of mask polymers breaking down. The findings raise concerns about the significant additional microplastic pollution generated by the billions of masks discarded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Micro- and nano-particles release from disposable plastic face masks under simulated UV weathering
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Disposable plastic face masks, widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, break down under UV exposure into a heterogeneous mix of microplastics and nanoplastics that can enter water, soil, and food chains. This study used state-of-the-art analytical tools to characterize the particles released, helping quantify masks as a significant novel source of environmental plastic pollution that emerged alongside the pandemic.
Identification of Microplastics and Non-Microplastics Released from Masks under Environmental Conditions
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Researchers found that single-use surgical masks worn during the COVID-19 pandemic release microplastics under environmental stress, with UV exposure generating the most particles (approximately 120 items per mask), followed by mechanical abrasion and high-temperature exposure.
Mechanical Behavior of Masonry Mortars Reinforced with Disposable Face Mask Strips
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Researchers experimentally analyzed the mechanical behavior of masonry mortars reinforced with disposable face mask strips cut into 3x3 mm and 3x10 mm sizes, providing data on flexural and compressive strength changes at varying fiber inclusion levels. The study found that face mask strips can improve certain mechanical properties of mortar mixtures, supporting the feasibility of recycling pandemic-era disposable plastics as construction material reinforcement.
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