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Uncovering the disposable face masks as vectors of metal ions (Pb(Ⅱ), Cd(Ⅱ), Sr(Ⅱ)) during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Researchers found that disposable face masks, particularly after UV aging, act as effective vectors for heavy metal ions including lead, cadmium, and strontium, with aged masks adsorbing greater quantities of metals due to increased oxygen-containing surface groups.
The demand for disposable face masks (DFMs) increased sharply in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, information regarding the underlying roles of the largely discarded DFMs in the environment is extremely lacking. This study focused on the pristine and UV-aged DFMs as vectors of metal ions (Pb(Ⅱ), Cd(Ⅱ), and Sr(Ⅱ)). Further, the aging mechanism of DFMs with UV radiation as well as the interaction mechanisms between DFMs and metal ions were investigated. Results revealed that the aging process would help to promote more metal ions adsorbed onto DFMs, which was mainly attributed to the presence of oxygen-containing groups on the aged DFMs. The adsorption affinity of pristine and aged DFMs for the metal ions followed Pb(Ⅱ) > Cd(Ⅱ) > Sr(Ⅱ), which was positively corrected with the electronegativity of the metals. Interestingly, we found that even if DFMs were not disrupted, DFMs had similar or even higher adsorption affinity for metals compared with other existing microplastics. Besides, regarding environmental factors, including salinity and solution pH played a crucial role in the adsorption processes, with greater adsorption capacities for pristine and aged DFMs at higher pH values and low salinity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory further confirmed that the pristine DFMs interacted with the metals mainly through electrostatic interaction, while electrostatic interaction and surface complexation jointly regulated the adsorption of the metals onto aged DFMs. Overall, these findings would help to evaluate environmental behaviors and risks of DFMs associated with metals.
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Researchers investigated how photoaging and biofilm formation on face mask-derived microplastics enhance their ability to adsorb heavy metals like lead. They found that the combination of UV weathering and microbial biofilm growth significantly increased the metal-binding capacity of both polypropylene and polyurethane mask particles. The study highlights that discarded face masks in the environment may pose compounding pollution risks by concentrating toxic metals on their surfaces.
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Researchers submerged seven disposable face mask brands in water to simulate environmental littering, detecting micro- and nanoscale plastic fibers, heavy metals including lead and cadmium, and plastic additive chemicals such as polyamide oligomers and surfactants leaching into the water — raising questions about both everyday safety and post-disposal pollution.
Aging of mask microplastics in distinct environmental media: Impacts on pollutants adsorption and cross-media migration propensity
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Researchers aged disposable surgical mask microplastics across five environmental pathways — landfill leachate, UV irradiation, outdoor air, pond water, and soil — and measured how each aging route altered pollutant adsorption, finding that landfill leachate caused the most severe aging while pond-water biofilms dramatically increased cadmium uptake and UV-induced carbonyl groups enhanced organic contaminant sorption, demonstrating that aging pathway fundamentally shapes the risks mask fragments pose as pollutant carriers.
Environmental impacts of covid-19 pandemic: Release of microplastics, organic contaminants and trace metals from face masks under ambient environmental conditions
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This study monitored microplastic, organic contaminant, and toxic metal release from COVID-19 face masks under open-environment exposure conditions rather than only controlled laboratory forces, finding that environmental weathering substantially increased release rates over time. The findings provide more realistic estimates of the pollution burden from the estimated 1.24 trillion masks discarded during the pandemic.
Protective Disposable Face Masks Used During the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Source of Pollutants in the Aquatic Environment – A Study of Short-Term Effects
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This study examined the migration of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn, Fe) from disposable COVID-19 face masks into aquatic environments over the short term, using atomic absorption spectroscopy across a range of pH conditions. Manganese leached at persistently elevated concentrations, while lead and iron temporarily exceeded national and European water quality standards. The findings highlight that widespread pandemic mask disposal adds both microplastic particles and heavy metals to aquatic ecosystems.
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