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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to A Safe Collection Process of Covid-19 Disposable Face Masks for the Applications in Asphalt Pavements
ClearRepurposing the disposable face masks in hot mix asphalt: Enhancing pavement performance and addressing plastic waste pollution
Researchers investigated repurposing shredded single-use polypropylene face masks as an additive in hot mix asphalt, evaluating improvements to mechanical performance of the pavement while simultaneously addressing the surge in disposable mask waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recycling of Polymer Components From Waste Face Masks for Asphalt Modification: A Mini Review
Polymer components recovered from waste face masks (a major source of plastic waste since the COVID-19 pandemic) were recycled and incorporated into new materials. The study supports developing circular recycling pathways for the large volume of disposable mask plastic that otherwise risks fragmenting into microplastics.
Advanced Recycling of Modified EDPM Rubber in Bituminous Asphalt Paving
Researchers explored recycling discarded COVID-19 surgical masks by incorporating them into bituminous asphalt for road pavement. Testing showed the mask material, made from modified rubber and polypropylene, could be blended into asphalt base courses without compromising structural performance, offering a potential circular-economy approach to managing pandemic plastic waste.
Sustainable use of COVID-19 discarded face masks to improve the performance of stone mastic asphalt
Researchers found that incorporating shredded COVID-19 face mask waste into stone mastic asphalt improved the pavement mixture's performance, offering a dual benefit of reducing pandemic waste while enhancing road construction materials.
An Investigation into the Behavior of Disposable Face Masks in Modified Bitumen for Sustainable Transportation Pathways
Researchers tested disposable face mask ash as an additive to bitumen at 5-20% by weight for use in road construction, finding that the PEN 60/70 grade bitumen showed improved asphalt properties, suggesting COVID-era mask waste could be repurposed as a sustainable road-building material.
Evaluating the cost of collection, processing, and application of face masks in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavements
Researchers calculated the full costs of collecting, shredding, and incorporating waste COVID-19 face masks into road asphalt, finding that while initial costs are similar to conventional pavement for shorter roads, mask-modified asphalt saves about 29% in maintenance costs over a 40-year lifespan due to improved durability.
Influence of COVID-19 Face Mask Additives on the High-Temperature and Fatigue Performance of Asphalt Binder
This engineering study tested whether shredded disposable face masks could be used as additives in road asphalt. Adding 5% mask material modestly improved fatigue life, but higher percentages reduced it, suggesting limited but possible applications for recycling mask waste into road materials.
Infrastructure in the Age of Pandemics: Utilizing Polypropylene-Based Mask Waste for Durable and Sustainable Road Pavements
Researchers investigated sterilized shredded polypropylene mask residues (SMR) from pandemic-era disposable masks as modifiers for asphalt pavement, testing SMR additions at 3, 6, and 9 weight percent using thin-layer chromatography, flame ionization detection, and other advanced characterization methods. The study found that SMR-modified asphalt exhibited improved durability and mechanical properties, offering a sustainable strategy for diverting mask waste into road infrastructure.
Study of Recycling Potential of FFP2 Face Masks and Characterization of the Plastic Mix-Material Obtained. A Way of Reducing Waste in Times of Covid-19
Researchers showed that FFP2 face masks can be mechanically recycled without pre-sorting their composite materials, producing a polymer blend with thermal and mechanical properties comparable to recycled polypropylene — offering a practical route to divert pandemic mask waste from the environment.
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.
Reutilizing Single-Use Surgical Face Masks to Improve the Mechanical Properties of Concrete: A Feasibility Study
Researchers investigated reutilizing single-use surgical face masks as a material to improve the mechanical properties of construction or composite materials. The study demonstrates a potential upcycling pathway for pandemic-generated mask waste, converting a pollution problem into a resource.
Effect of Waste Mask Fabric Scraps on Strength and Moisture Susceptibility of Asphalt Mixture with Nano-Carbon-Modified Filler
Researchers tested the effects of incorporating waste mask fabric scraps and nano-carbon-modified filler into hot mix asphalt mixtures at 0.3% and 0.5% by weight. The combined additions improved tensile strength and fatigue resistance while offering a constructive disposal pathway for pandemic-era mask waste.
Mechanical Recycling of Disposable Protective Masks
Disposable face masks — a major source of pandemic-era plastic waste — were mechanically recycled through extrusion to assess whether their polypropylene layers retain useful material properties. The study found that mechanical recycling had only minor effects on thermal properties, suggesting masks could be diverted from landfill and reprocessed into raw material, reducing the chance that mask fibers fragment into environmental microplastics.
Property assessment of an eco-friendly mortar reinforced with recycled mask fiber derived from COVID-19 single-use face masks
Researchers developed an eco-friendly mortar reinforced with recycled polypropylene fibers from COVID-19 single-use face masks, demonstrating a practical approach to repurposing pandemic waste while reducing environmental microplastic contamination.
Face Mask Wastes as Cementitious Materials: A Possible Solution to a Big Concern
Researchers investigated the use of waste surgical masks as a cementitious additive in mortars without pretreatment, addressing the dual problem of pandemic-era mask waste and microplastic contamination. The study evaluated the mechanical and environmental performance of mortars incorporating mask materials as part of circular economy waste management.
Green Recycling and Long-Term Immobilization of Disposable Medical Masks for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Self-Compacting Recycled Concrete
Researchers proposed an eco-friendly strategy to repurpose discarded COVID-era medical masks as fiber reinforcement in self-compacting recycled aggregate concrete. Mask-derived polypropylene fibers improved tensile strength and reduced brittleness while providing an environmentally responsible disposal route for pandemic plastic waste.
Dynamic-Mechanic Analysis and Rheological Modelling of Waste Face Mask Modified Bitumen
Researchers added waste face mask (WFM) material at concentrations of 1-3% to bitumen and characterized the rheological behavior of the modified bitumen using dynamic shear rheometer frequency sweep tests across multiple temperatures and loading rates. The study provided a detailed viscoelastic characterization of WFM-modified bitumen as a potential recycling pathway for the large volumes of disposable masks generated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 disposable face masks: a precursor for synthesis of valuable bioproducts
Researchers proposed converting pandemic-era disposable face masks — made from thermoplastic polymers such as polypropylene — into valuable bioproducts through chemical or biological upcycling, framing mask waste management as both an environmental and secondary biosafety challenge requiring urgent circular-economy solutions.
Disposal and resource utilization of waste masks: a review
Researchers reviewed current methods for disposing of and repurposing waste face masks — including mechanical recycling, catalytic pyrolysis for hydrogen production, and solvent-based dissolution — identifying solvent-based approaches as especially promising for converting mask polypropylene into multifunctional materials.
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.
Environmental impact of disposable face masks: degradation, wear, and cement mortar incorporation
Researchers examined how disposable polypropylene face masks break down in the environment, releasing microplastics and nanoplastics after just 117 days of outdoor exposure. The study also tested incorporating shredded mask material into cement mortar and found it did not significantly harm the material's structural properties, suggesting construction applications as one way to divert mask waste from the environment.
Unsur Senyawa Kimia Dari Limbah Masker Medis Untuk Meningkatkan Kinerja Campuran Aspal
This Indonesian literature review examines chemical components in medical face mask waste, particularly polypropylene and silica, and their potential as additives in asphalt mixtures. The dominant silicon content (59%) could improve asphalt resistance to rutting and increase fatigue life when mask waste is incorporated as an additive.
Enhancing Concrete Strength with Recycled Disposable Face Mask Fibers: A Novel Approach to Sustainable Construction
Researchers developed a novel method to recycle disposable face masks (DFMs) from the COVID-19 pandemic by converting them into reinforcing fibers for concrete, addressing both medical plastic waste accumulation and microplastic pollution risks from discarded masks. The recycled mask fibers, added to concrete mixtures after a preliminary treatment process, were found to enhance the structural strength properties of the resulting composite material.
Mechanical characterizations of waste face masks reinforced polyester composites: Recycling wastes into resources
Researchers explored recycling discarded face masks into composite materials by combining shredded mask fibers with polyester resin. The resulting composites showed promising mechanical strength comparable to natural fiber alternatives, suggesting that waste face masks could be repurposed rather than ending up as microplastic pollution in the environment.