We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Environmental Decay of Single Use Surgical Face Masks as an Agent of Plastic Micro-Fiber Pollution
Summary
Researchers observed the environmental decay of single-use polypropylene surgical face masks discarded during the COVID-19 pandemic in real outdoor settings, documenting the rate and progression of photo-oxidative fragmentation and micro-fiber release over time under natural weathering conditions.
Large numbers of Single Use Surgical-type Face Masks, used by the public as personal protective equipment during the 2020–2022 COVID-19 pandemic, have been lost or intentionally discarded and have entered the environment rather than the waste management stream. These masks, made from non-woven polypropylene fibers, will undergo environmental decay which will release fiber fragments as microplastics into the environment. While the photochemical process of the decay of polypropylene polymers (photo-oxidation) is well understood, and while there are numerous studies that investigate mask decay and micro-fiber shedding in laboratory settings, there are no observational data that describe the progress and speed of decay on polypropylene face masks in real-life environmental settings. This paper examines the breakdown of single use surgical-type face masks under natural conditions. Masks from three manufacturers were exposed to natural sunlight over a ten-week period and their state of decay was photographically recorded in situ at weekly intervals. Visible decay accelerated after three weeks, with masks made from thinner spunbond fabric decaying more rapidly. Among same-weight fabric, photo-oxidation affected fabric dyed light blue more than undyed fabric, leading to a total breakdown after six weeks. The results are novel as they demonstrate a differential decay between the spunbonded and the melt-blown fabric, which cracks and breaks down much faster due to thinner fibers of shorter length and the lack of thermal bonding points. The resultant extensive micro-fiber generation was accelerated by external physical forces such as wind. This experiment highlights the fact that municipal agencies have only a narrow window of time to remove stray face masks from the urban environment if micro-fiber pollution is to be prevented.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Photoaging Characteristics of Disposable Masks under UV Irradiation
Disposable face masks were subjected to UV irradiation to simulate outdoor weathering, with results showing progressive photoaging including surface cracking, fiber fragmentation, and release of plastic particles along with chemical additives. The study quantifies how discarded pandemic-era masks break down into microplastics under solar radiation in the environment.
Degradation of plastics associated with the COVID-19 pandemic
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.
Simulation of the Long-Term Ageing of Polypropylene-Made Disposable Surgical Masks and Filtering Facepiece Respirators
Researchers artificially aged polypropylene surgical masks under simulated environmental conditions and modeled their long-term oxidative degradation, finding that mask polymers undergo progressive fragmentation that will generate microplastics for years to decades after disposal in the environment.
Micro- and nano-particles release from disposable plastic face masks under simulated UV weathering
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.
Disposable face masks release micro particles to the aqueous environment after simulating sunlight aging: Microplastics or non-microplastics?
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.