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Impact of face mask microplastics pollution on the aquatic environment and aquaculture organisms
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This review examines how the widespread use of disposable face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to microplastic pollution in aquatic environments. Researchers found that mask materials made from polymers like polypropylene break down into microplastics through UV radiation and weathering, causing harm to aquatic organisms including reduced growth, neurotoxicity, and increased mortality. The study recommends developing biodegradable alternatives to plastic-based face masks to reduce environmental impact.
Microplastic pollution in our environment, especially water bodies is an emerging threat to food security and human health. Inevitably, the outbreak of Covid-19 has necessitated the constant use of face masks made from polymers such as polypropylene, polyurethane, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene, or polyester which eventually will disintegrate into microplastic particles. They can be broken down into microplastics by the weathering action of UV radiation from the sun, heat, or ocean wave-current and precipitate in natural environments. The global adoption of face masks as a preventive measure to curb the spread of Covid-19 has made the safe management of wastes from it cumbersome. Microplastics gain access into aquaculture facilities through water sources and food including planktons. The negative impacts of microplastics on aquaculture cannot be overemphasized. The impacts includes low growth rates of animals, hindered reproductive functions, neurotoxicity, low feeding habit, oxidative stress, reduced metabolic rate, and increased mortality rate among aquatic organisms. With these, there is every tendency of microplastic pollution to negatively impact fish production through aquaculture if the menace is not curbed. It is therefore recommended that biodegradable materials rather than plastics to be considered in the production of face mask while recycle of already produced ones should be encouraged to reduce waste.
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This review examines the environmental threats posed by disposable face masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on microplastic release. Researchers found that discarded masks undergo physical and chemical degradation in the environment, generating microplastics that contaminate both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The study provides an overview of current knowledge on microplastic extraction methods and proposes strategies for controlling mask-related plastic pollution through source reduction and improved waste management.
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This review examined how the massive increase in disposable face masks and PPE kits during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to microplastic pollution in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Researchers found that these items break down into microplastic fibers and fragments that are ingested by marine species and can affect both environmental and human health. The study calls for more research on the specific microplastic risks from pandemic-related protective equipment.
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Researchers investigated COVID-19 disposable face masks as a new source of microplastics and chemical additives in the environment, analyzing particles released from masks submerged in water under different conditions. The masks released significant quantities of microplastic fibers and chemical additives, with quantities increasing with aging and sunlight exposure. The pandemic-era surge in disposable mask use created a new and largely unquantified pathway for plastic contamination of waterways.
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Researchers investigated how disposable surgical face masks, widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, could become a significant new source of microplastic pollution. The study notes that masks made of polymeric materials can release microplastic fibers into aquatic environments where they may be ingested by fish and other organisms. The findings suggest that face mask waste deserves focused attention as a microplastic source, including better waste management systems.
Degradation of plastics associated with the COVID-19 pandemic
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This review examines how personal protective equipment from the COVID-19 pandemic degrades in the environment and becomes a source of microplastic pollution. Researchers found that face masks, primarily made of polypropylene, break down into microfibers relatively quickly when exposed to weathering. The study highlights that pandemic-related plastic waste represents a new and significant category of environmental microplastic contamination.
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