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Public face masks wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comprehensive analysis is needed for potential implications
Summary
This review weighed evidence on the effectiveness of face masks for preventing COVID-19 transmission against growing evidence that masks release microplastics and chemical contaminants when worn and degraded. The authors concluded that the public health benefits of mask use during the pandemic outweighed plastic exposure risks, but called for redesigned masks with lower MP release and better end-of-life management.
Face mask-wearing as a public health measure has been practiced since the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak. Extensive research has shown that face masks are an effective non-pharmaceutical measure to contain the spread of respiratory infections. However, recent studies indicate that face masks release microplastics and other contaminants that have adverse health effects on humans. This communication reviews the evidence for face mask as a potential source of contaminants capable of adversely affecting human health. The benefits of face masks in reducing the transmission of SARS-Cov-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) and seasonal communicable diseases were addressed. In addition, the risk of inhaling microplastics and organic contaminants, as well as the associated exposure level, were discussed. Finally, the potential research gaps that need to be addressed were outlined to provide a holistic view of the problem. This communication has illustrated that face mask-wearing as a public health measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 could be a potential risk factor for human health. Very few studies have been done on microplastics, organic pollutants, and trace metal inhalation from surgical masks. However, future work providing a comprehensive understanding of the risk and exposure levels needs to be undertaken.