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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to The Bad Side of Face Masks and How Bacteria Can Help
ClearFace masks: a COVID-19 protector or environmental contaminant?
This review examined how the massive global use of disposable face masks during COVID-19 has created a significant source of microplastic pollution, with billions of masks entering the environment and releasing plastic fibers and chemical contaminants.
A review of disposable facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic: A focus on microplastics release
This review examines the environmental threats posed by disposable face masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on microplastic release. Researchers found that discarded masks undergo physical and chemical degradation in the environment, generating microplastics that contaminate both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The study provides an overview of current knowledge on microplastic extraction methods and proposes strategies for controlling mask-related plastic pollution through source reduction and improved waste management.
Microbial strategies for degradation of microplastics generated from COVID-19 healthcare waste
Researchers reviewed microbial strategies for degrading microplastics generated from COVID-19 healthcare waste such as masks, gloves, and personal protective equipment. The study discusses how improper disposal of pandemic-related plastic waste creates microplastic pollution and explores the potential of microorganisms to break down these polymeric materials as a bioremediation approach.
Uncovering the Release of Micro/nanoplastics from Disposable Face Masks at Times of COVID-19
Researchers found that disposable face masks release significant amounts of micro- and nanoplastic particles when subjected to water exposure and mechanical stress similar to environmental conditions. This confirms that the massive use of masks during COVID-19 introduced new sources of microplastic pollution into the environment.
Face mask structure, degradation, and interaction with marine biota: A review
Single-use face masks, which surged in use during COVID-19, are a significant source of microplastic pollution because they degrade into tiny plastic fragments and also serve as rafts for harmful bacteria, pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, and antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic environments. This review underscores that the environmental and public health costs of mask disposal extend well beyond simple litter, carrying risks for water quality and the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
The COVID-19 pandemic face mask waste: A blooming threat to the marine environment.
This review examines how single-use face masks — billions of which were discarded during the COVID-19 pandemic — contribute to microplastic and microfiber pollution in marine environments when improperly disposed of. The pandemic created a massive new source of plastic pollution, with masks breaking down into microplastics and releasing chemical contaminants in the ocean.
Nanotechnology-enabled face masks: Balancing protection and pollution in aquatic environments
This review examined the dual role of nanotechnology-enhanced face masks in providing antimicrobial protection while also releasing micro- and nanoplastics into aquatic environments when improperly disposed. The authors call for better mask design standards and disposal strategies to balance protective benefits against environmental pollution.
Biotransformation of microplastics from three-layer face masks by nitrifying-denitrifying consortia
Lab experiments showed that microorganisms performing nitrogen cycling (nitrification and denitrification) can chemically alter the surface of polypropylene microplastics shed from COVID-era disposable face masks. The biological changes to the plastic surface may increase its ability to adsorb other contaminants or alter how long it persists in the environment, raising new questions about what happens to the surge of pandemic-era plastic waste in wastewater systems.
Single-use surgical face masks, as a potential source of microplastics: Do they act as pollutant carriers?
Researchers investigated whether single-use surgical face masks, widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, are a potential source of microplastic fibers released into the environment. The study found that used masks entering uncontrolled waste streams can shed fibrous microplastics.
Environmental Hazard of Polypropylene from Disposable Face Masks Linked to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Possible Mitigation Techniques through a Green Approach
Researchers assessed the biodegradation of disposable face masks made from polypropylene using Pseudomonas aeruginosa and found partial degradation was achievable, highlighting both the environmental hazard of pandemic-era PPE waste and potential microbial remediation strategies.
Bacterial pathogens associated with the plastisphere of surgical face masks and their dispersion potential in the coastal marine environment
Researchers deployed face masks in coastal seawater for two months and used advanced DNA sequencing to identify bacterial pathogens colonizing the plastic surfaces. The study found that face masks selectively enriched certain putative pathogens rarely found in surrounding seawater and released considerable microfibers during degradation, suggesting that pandemic-related mask waste in oceans may serve as vectors for transporting harmful bacteria across marine environments.
Antibacterial/Antiviral Face Masks: Processing, Characteristics, Challenges, and Sustainability
This review examines the development of antibacterial and antiviral face masks — including the materials, processing methods, and antimicrobial agents used — and discusses sustainability challenges associated with mask disposal. It is tangentially relevant to microplastics because single-use masks are now recognized as a significant emerging source of microplastic and nanoparticle pollution when they fragment in the environment, though this paper focuses primarily on mask performance and design rather than their pollution impact.
From Protection to Pollution: The Impact of Mask Use on Micro(nano)plastic Release
This bibliographic review found that global mask consumption during COVID-19 reached as high as 2.5 trillion single-use masks per month, with Asia as the largest consumer, and documented how improper mask disposal releases microplastics and nanoplastics into terrestrial and aquatic environments.
Surgical face masks as a potential source for microplastic pollution in the COVID-19 scenario
Researchers investigated how disposable surgical face masks, widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, could become a significant new source of microplastic pollution. The study notes that masks made of polymeric materials can release microplastic fibers into aquatic environments where they may be ingested by fish and other organisms. The findings suggest that face mask waste deserves focused attention as a microplastic source, including better waste management systems.
Global face mask pollution: threats to the environment and wildlife, and potential solutions
Researchers reviewed the global face mask pollution crisis following COVID-19, estimating massive production volumes and finding that most disposal pathways generate secondary microplastic pollution or toxic emissions, and proposing countermeasures including biodegradable mask development and improved waste management policy.
Release of microfibers from surgical face masks: an undesirable contributor to aquatic pollution
Researchers found that surgical face masks release large quantities of microfibers when exposed to aqueous conditions, identifying masks — whose global use surged during the COVID-19 pandemic — as a significant and underappreciated source of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments.
Microplastics waste in environment: A perspective on recycling issues from PPE kits and face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic
This review examined how the massive increase in disposable face masks and PPE kits during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to microplastic pollution in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Researchers found that these items break down into microplastic fibers and fragments that are ingested by marine species and can affect both environmental and human health. The study calls for more research on the specific microplastic risks from pandemic-related protective equipment.
Impact of microfiber pollution on aquatic biota: A critical analysis of effects and preventive measures
This review examines how microfibers from textiles, face masks, and other personal protective equipment are polluting aquatic environments, a problem worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Microfibers enter waterways through washing machines and waste treatment plants, where they can be ingested by aquatic organisms. The authors highlight the urgent need for better filtration technologies and waste management to reduce microfiber contamination in oceans and freshwater systems.
Masks and the scourge of microplastic pollution
This commentary discusses how the widespread use of disposable face masks during COVID-19 has become a significant source of microplastic pollution, particularly from masks improperly discarded outside of hospital settings. The authors call attention to the environmental burden of mask litter as a growing global concern.
Potency of Face Mask-Degrading Bacteria Isolated from Parangtritis Beach, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Researchers isolated and characterised face mask-degrading bacteria from discarded masks at Parangtritis Beach in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, using Mineral Salt Media containing black duckbill, blue surgical, and white KF94 mask materials as selective substrates. The study aimed to identify microbial agents capable of degrading COVID-19 pandemic-related mask waste that had become a significant environmental contaminant at coastal sites.
Microplastics/nanoplastics released from facemasks as contaminants of emerging concern
This review examines how disposable facemasks, made primarily from polypropylene and polyethylene, release microplastics and nanoplastics into the environment. Chemical, physical, and biological processes break down discarded masks into tiny plastic particles that persist in ecosystems. Given the billions of masks used during COVID-19, this represents a significant and growing source of microplastic pollution.
Environmental risks of polymer materials from disposable face masks linked to the COVID-19 pandemic
This review examines how disposable face masks from the COVID-19 pandemic release microplastics into terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, discussing combined pollutant effects and proposing green technologies to reduce mask-related plastic waste at its source.
Identifikasi Bakteri Pendegradasi Polipropilen Pada Limbah Masker Dari Tpa Piyungan
This Indonesian study identified bacteria capable of degrading polypropylene in disposable face mask waste collected from a landfill. Bacteria that can break down synthetic polymers offer a potential biological tool for reducing microplastic formation from the large volumes of mask waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The environmental impact of mask-derived microplastics on soil ecosystems
Researchers reviewed how discarded face masks from the COVID-19 pandemic break down into microplastics and affect soil ecosystems. They found that mask-derived microplastics alter soil structure, change microbial community composition, and can release harmful chemical additives into the ground. The study suggests that the massive increase in mask waste during the pandemic has created a new and significant source of soil microplastic pollution.