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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Smart Mask Disinfection System (SMDS)
ClearDevelopment of IoT-based Smart Recycling Machine to collect the wasted Non-woven Fabric Face Mask (NFM)
This study developed an IoT-connected smart recycling machine designed to collect used non-woven face masks and prevent them from entering the environment as microplastic waste. Single-use masks became a major source of microplastic pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic, and automated collection systems could significantly reduce this form of plastic waste.
Face 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.
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.
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.
Review of the valorization options for the proper disposal of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic
Researchers reviewed waste management options for the surge in discarded polypropylene face masks during COVID-19, finding that improper disposal contributes directly to microplastic pollution, and proposing valorization strategies — including energy recovery and material upcycling — tailored to country-level infrastructure and emergency conditions.
The Bad Side of Face Masks and How Bacteria Can Help
This review examines how single-use face masks contributed to environmental microplastic pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores how bacteria and other microorganisms might be harnessed to biodegrade mask-derived microplastics in wastewater treatment 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.
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.
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.
Eco-design Actions to Improve Life Cycle Environmental Performance of Face Masks in the Pandemic Era
This study evaluated the environmental impact of single-use face masks throughout their life cycle and proposed eco-design strategies to reduce their footprint. The massive increase in disposable mask use during COVID-19 generated significant plastic waste and potential microplastic pollution.
Global daily mask use estimation in the pandemic and its post environmental health risks: Analysis based on a validated dynamic mathematical model
Researchers developed a mathematical model to estimate daily disposable mask usage across 214 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and projected how discarded masks contribute to microplastic pollution. The model estimated billions of masks were used daily at peak periods, releasing massive quantities of microplastic fibers as they degrade. The study provides a tool for policymakers to assess the long-term environmental health risks of pandemic-related plastic waste.
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.
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.
Effects of masks on marine animals
Discarded COVID-19 face masks entering the ocean pose multiple threats to marine life, including entanglement, ingestion, and fragmentation into microplastic fibres. The paper outlines the scale of the problem and proposes policy and individual-behaviour responses, underscoring how pandemic-era single-use plastic waste created a new and rapid source of marine microplastic contamination.
Neglected microplastics pollution in global COVID-19: Disposable surgical masks
Researchers found that disposable surgical masks release approximately 360 microplastic particles in still water, with the number increasing significantly under agitation or when exposed to detergents and alcohol. After just two months of natural weathering, the masks became fragile enough to potentially release billions of microplastic fibers upon entering water. The study highlights that pandemic-related mask waste represents a substantial and largely overlooked new source of microplastic pollution.
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.
Facemask Global Challenges: The Case of Effective Synthesis, Utilization, and Environmental Sustainability
This review examines the environmental challenges of surging face mask production during COVID-19, including their role as sources of microplastic pollution in water, and discusses sustainable alternatives including nanomaterial-based self-cleaning mask designs.
Face Masks to Combat Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Processing, Roles, Requirements, Efficacy, Risk and Sustainability
This review examines the materials, manufacturing methods, and effectiveness of face masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic, most of which are made from non-biodegradable plastics like polypropylene and polyester. Researchers found that while masks are effective at reducing virus transmission, their widespread use and improper disposal have created a significant environmental concern as they break down into microplastics. The study calls for more sustainable mask materials and better waste management strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of pandemic-related plastic waste.
Public Handling of Protective Masks from Use to Disposal and Recycling Options to New Products
This paper examines how disposable surgical masks — widely used during the pandemic — are being disposed of and their environmental impacts, including the release of microplastic fibers. The authors discuss recycling options and the public's current relationship with mask waste.
Research on Design Strategy of Mask Recycling Service Based on Behavior Environment
This Chinese design research study proposed a service system for collecting and properly disposing of used face masks, which surged in volume during the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks are made from polypropylene microfibers that can become environmental microplastics if not managed properly after disposal.
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.
COVID-19 감염병 확산에 따른 일회용 마스크의 적정 관리 방안 연구
This Korean study examined the management problems with single-use face masks discarded during COVID-19, finding that masks contain microplastic components such as polypropylene fibers that can persist in the environment. The study called for better disposal protocols to prevent mask-derived microplastics from entering ecosystems.
Understanding the environmental impacts of facemasks: a review on the facemask industry and existing life cycle assessment studies
This review examined the environmental life cycle impacts of disposable face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that the surge in mask production and disposal created a significant new source of plastic waste and microplastic pollution globally.