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Disposable face masks release micro particles to the aqueous environment after simulating sunlight aging: Microplastics or non-microplastics?
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This study characterized particles released from surgical, N95, KN95, and children's masks after simulated sunlight aging, finding that most released particles (66-99%) were non-plastic materials such as synthetic or natural fibers. Children's masks released the most microplastics, at 8.92 times the quantity of surgical masks, with polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate as the dominant polymer types.
This study focuses on characterizing microplastics and non-microplastics released from surgical masks (SMs), N95 masks (N95), KN95 masks (KN95), and children's masks (CMs) after simulating sunlight aging. Based on micro-Raman spectrum analysis, it was found that the dominant particles released from masks were non-microplastics (66.76-98.85%). Unfortunately, CMs released the most microplastics, which is 8.92 times more than SMs. The predominant size range of microplastics was 30-500 µm, and the main polymer types were PP and PET. Compared with the whole SMs, the microplastic particles released from the cutting-SMs increased conspicuously, which is 12.15 times that of the whole SMs. The main components of non-microplastics include β-carotene, microcrystalline cellulose 102, and eight types of minerals. Furthermore, non-microplastics were mainly fibrous and fragmented in appearance, similar to the morphology of microplastics. After 15 days of UVA-aging, the fibers of the face layers had cracks to varying degrees. It was estimated that these four types of masks can release at least 31.5 trillion microplastics annually in China. Overall, this study demonstrated that the masks could release a large quantity of microplastics and non-microplastics to the environment after sunlight aging, deserving urgent attention in the future study.
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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.
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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 tested four mask types (normal, fashion, N95, and disposable surgical) by exposing them to simulated natural water environments over 12 months at 3-month intervals to characterize the kinetics of microplastic release. They found time-dependent release patterns that varied by mask construction, documenting structural degradation and quantifying microplastic fiber shedding as a function of duration, with implications for environmental risk assessment of pandemic-related mask pollution.
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This study confirmed that disposable face masks release micro- and nanoplastic particles under environmental conditions including water exposure and mechanical stress. The release was enhanced by simulated weathering, raising concern about the environmental persistence and pollution potential of pandemic-era mask waste.
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