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Face masks as a source of nanoplastics and microplastics in the environment: Quantification, characterization, and potential for bioaccumulation

Environmental Pollution 2021 223 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Ciara Chun Chen, Ke Pan, Fengyuan Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Ciara Chun Chen, Ciara Chun Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Jie Ma, Jie Ma, Ciara Chun Chen, Ciara Chun Chen, Ciara Chun Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Jie Ma, Jie Ma, Fengyuan Chen, Ping Li Jie Ma, Huo Xu, Huo Xu, Hao Jiang, Hao Jiang, Hao Jiang, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Fengyuan Chen, Ciara Chun Chen, Ping Li Huo Xu, Huo Xu, Hao Jiang, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Fengyuan Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Hao Jiang, Fengyuan Chen, Ping Li Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Hao Jiang, Hao Jiang, Huo Xu, Huo Xu, Huo Xu, Ke Pan, Huo Xu, Fengyuan Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ciara Chun Chen, Ke Pan, Fengyuan Chen, Jie Ma, Jingli Liu, Ciara Chun Chen, Hao Jiang, Ciara Chun Chen, Ciara Chun Chen, Fengyuan Chen, Ping Li Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ping Li Ke Pan, Ping Li Jie Ma, Jie Ma, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ciara Chun Chen, Ping Li Ping Li Ciara Chun Chen, Jie Ma, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Jie Ma, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ke Pan, Ping Li

Summary

Researchers found that each surgical or N95 face mask can release over one billion nanoplastic and microplastic particles, mostly smaller than one micrometer, when they break down. The study also detected microplastics in the nasal mucus of mask wearers, suggesting inhalation exposure during use. Additionally, mask-derived particles were shown to adsorb onto marine organisms across different levels of the food chain, raising concerns about both human health and environmental impacts.

Billions of disposable face masks are consumed daily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The role of these masks as a source of nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs) in the environment has not been studied in previous studies. We quantified and characterized face mask released particles and evaluated their potential for accumulation in humans and marine organisms. More than one billion of NPs and MPs were released from each surgical or N95 face mask. These irregularly-shaped particles sized from c. 5 nm to c. 600 μm. But most of them were nano scale sized <1 μm. The middle layers of the masks had released more particles than the outer and inner layers. That MPs were detected in the nasal mucus of mask wearers suggests they can be inhaled while wearing a mask. Mask released particles also adsorbed onto diatom surfaces and were ingested by marine organisms of different trophic levels. This data is useful for assessing the health and environmental risks of face masks.

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