We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
¿Conoces las secuelas ambientales de la COVID-19?: microplásticos y su repercusión en el medio marino y la salud
AI summary Read the abstract
This paper examines the environmental consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on the increase in single-use plastic waste and microplastic pollution in Spanish-speaking regions. The authors call for greater public awareness and policy action to address these compounding environmental challenges.
Plastic pollution is a growing problem. Microplastics as pollutants have severe effects on the environment. Microplastics form due to the degradation of plastic when exposed to sunlight, water, microorganisms, and wind. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, various measures were implemented to prevent its spread, including the use of disposable face masks, leading to an alarming increase in such waste in municipal trash. We are on the brink of a pollution problem that will affect public health in Mexico and around the world.
More Papers Like This
Environmental Contamination by Plastics during the Pandemic and Its Effects on Human Health
AI summary Read the abstract
This Spanish-language review traced the history of plastic materials from the 19th century to the COVID-19 pandemic era, examining how increased face mask and single-use plastic disposal during the pandemic amplified environmental plastic contamination. The authors assess health consequences of pandemic-related plastic pollution for both ecosystems and human populations.
Microplastic Pollution: Occurrence, Sources and Impact of COVID-19 Generated Waste
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased microplastic pollution through mass disposal of masks, gloves, and other single-use items, examining the cascading effects on ecosystems and human health.
Plastic Pollution During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Disaster in the Making
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers assessed how the COVID-19 pandemic created a plastic pollution crisis, finding that while mobility restrictions temporarily reduced some environmental pressures, the surge in single-use protective equipment and packaging generated massive new streams of plastic waste with significant ecological consequences.
Mascarillas faciales: contaminación ambiental, efectos toxicológicos, posibles soluciones y políticas globales
AI summary Read the abstract
This review evaluates the environmental fate of disposable face masks, which became a major source of plastic pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic, and summarizes evidence on their toxic effects. Masks shed microplastic and nanoparticle fragments as they degrade in the environment, potentially introducing chemical additives into soil and aquatic ecosystems. The authors recommend improved waste collection strategies and development of biodegradable mask materials to reduce long-term environmental burden.
COVID-19 and Microplastics: Analysing the Role of Medical Waste in Environmental Pollution
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyze how the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased biomedical waste generation — particularly single-use plastics like masks and gloves — and how improper disposal introduced large quantities of new microplastic sources into aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, compounding existing plastic pollution challenges.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.