We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Will COVID-19 Containment and Treatment Measures Drive Shifts in Marine Litter Pollution?
ClearWhat we need to know about PPE associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the marine environment
This review discusses how the surge in plastic-based personal protective equipment use during the COVID-19 pandemic is contributing to marine plastic pollution. Researchers identified key research gaps regarding the occurrence, degradation, and ecological effects of PPE-derived plastics in ocean environments. The study proposes five priority research areas to better understand and mitigate the environmental impact of pandemic-related plastic waste.
COVID-19 Generated Personal Protective Equipment: Sources of Microplastics and Pathogen Vectors in Marine Environments?
This study raises concern that COVID-19-related personal protective equipment such as face masks, gloves, and gowns improperly disposed of in marine environments are releasing microplastics and potentially acting as pathogen vectors, creating a dual contamination risk from pandemic waste.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by COVID-19 pandemic in Marina Beach, the longest urban beach in Asia: Abundance, distribution, and analytical characterization.
This study surveyed COVID-19 personal protective equipment littered on Marina Beach in India, finding over 1,150 items with face masks making up the vast majority. The authors measured the chemical composition of the discarded PPE and raised concerns about masks becoming a significant new source of microplastic pollution as they degrade in coastal environments.
The COVID-19 pandemic as an impeller for the aggravation of marine plastic pollution and economic crisis: the reserve effect of health protection measures on human lives
This paper examines how the COVID-19 pandemic worsened marine plastic pollution by dramatically increasing the use of single-use masks, gloves, and other protective equipment. Billions of pieces of pandemic-related plastic waste entered the environment, much of which ended up in oceans. The authors argue that biodegradable alternatives and better waste management are needed to prevent pandemic-era plastics from becoming a lasting marine pollution problem.
The COVID-19 pandemic reshapes the plastic pollution research – A comparative analysis of plastic pollution research before and during the pandemic
This comparative bibliometric analysis found that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reshaped plastic pollution research, driving increased focus on single-use plastics from personal protective equipment and medical waste while temporarily shifting attention away from traditional environmental microplastic topics.
Increased plastic pollution due to COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and recommendations
This review examines how the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased plastic pollution through the massive use of disposable personal protective equipment like masks and gloves. Researchers warn that this surge in single-use plastics will accelerate the generation of microplastics and nanoplastics in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. The study emphasizes the need to balance public health measures with environmental safety and calls for a shift toward sustainable alternatives.
Impact of coronavirus pandemic litters on microfiber pollution—effect of personal protective equipment and disposable face masks
Researchers reviewed microfiber pollution arising from disposable and reusable face masks and personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that synthetic fiber shedding through littering, laundry, and disinfection represents a significant and undercharacterized addition to global microplastic pollution loads.
Covid-19 and increase in plastic debris in coastal and marine environments
This commentary discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic increased plastic pollution in coastal and marine environments through surging demand for single-use protective equipment and packaging. The authors call for urgent policy action to prevent pandemic-related plastic from becoming a lasting environmental legacy.
The plastic pandemic: COVID-19 has accelerated plastic pollution, but there is a cure
This study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the global plastic pollution crisis through massively increased use of single-use protective equipment like masks and gloves. Researchers review the environmental consequences and propose solutions including improved waste management, biodegradable alternatives, and policy changes to curb plastic pollution going forward.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on research on marine plastic pollution – A bibliometric-based assessment
Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of marine plastic pollution research from 2015 to 2022 and found that while the COVID-19 pandemic initially disrupted international collaboration, it also spurred new research on pandemic-related plastic waste entering the marine environment.
COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) contamination in coastal areas of Granada, Spain
Researchers surveyed four Spanish beaches and found over 17,500 pieces of plastic waste, with COVID-19 face masks making up 92% of all personal protective equipment litter; plastic debris increased by 92% during vacation periods, illustrating how the pandemic compounded existing coastal plastic pollution.
Lockdown Litter: A critical analysis of global COVID-19 PPE litter and measures for mitigation
This global analysis examined the scale and distribution of COVID-19 PPE litter, finding evidence of significant plastic pollution from masks, gloves, and wipes discarded during the pandemic. Improperly disposed PPE is expected to fragment into microplastics that will persist in the environment for decades.
Understanding of environmental pollution and its anthropogenic impacts on biological resources during the COVID-19 period
Researchers reviewed how the COVID-19 pandemic intensified plastic pollution across terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric environments by driving surges in single-use plastics and inadequately managed medical waste, with plastic-related contamination projected to pose escalating transboundary risks through 2030 and beyond.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution associated with the COVID-19 pandemic along the coastline of Agadir, Morocco
Researchers surveyed COVID-19-related personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution along the Agadir coastline in Morocco, documenting masks and gloves as new categories of marine litter and estimating their potential to fragment into microplastics over time.
The Impacts of Plastic Waste from Personal Protective Equipment Used during the COVID-19 Pandemic
This review analyzes the environmental impacts of personal protective equipment plastic waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic, examining how the unprecedented surge in PPE demand overwhelmed waste management systems and contributed to microplastic pollution.
Face masks related to COVID-19 in the beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean: An emerging source of plastic pollution
Researchers monitored face mask litter on five tourist beaches along the Moroccan Mediterranean over five months, finding 321 masks (96% single-use) with higher densities on urban recreational beaches, identifying COVID-related masks as an emerging source of marine plastic pollution.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Microplastic Pollution
This review links the COVID-19 pandemic to a surge in microplastic pollution driven by increased production and disposal of personal protective equipment including masks and gloves. The authors document how pandemic-related plastic waste entered terrestrial and aquatic environments and argue for circular economy strategies to prevent future public health crises from amplifying plastic pollution.
Occurrence of personal protective equipment (PPE) associated with the COVID-19 pandemic along the coast of Lima, Peru
Researchers surveyed COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) along Lima, Peru's coastline over 12 weeks, finding 138 PPE items across 11 beaches and identifying them as a new source of plastic pollution and potential microplastic generation.
Plastic pollution induced by the COVID-19: Environmental challenges and outlook
Researchers used bibliometric analysis to map research on plastic pollution generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that wealthier nations led early inquiry while developing countries followed, and revealing that pandemic-related plastics — from masks to medical waste — are creating cascading contamination from land to ocean to atmosphere.
Post-pandemic micro/nanoplastic pollution: Toward a sustainable management
Researchers reviewed how the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to micro- and nanoplastic pollution through the massive use of disposable personal protective equipment like masks and gloves. The study found that weathering of these items releases microplastics into the environment and may even serve as carriers for pathogens. The review calls for more sustainable waste management approaches in preparing for future health crises.
Impact of COVID-19 protective equipment on the aquatic environment
Researchers examined the environmental impact of COVID-19 protective equipment — including disposable masks, gloves, and face shields — on aquatic ecosystems, documenting how the mass global deployment of single-use plastic protective gear contributed a significant new source of microplastic contamination to waterways. The study assessed the scale of this pollution surge and its implications for aquatic organisms and water quality management.
The effect of the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic on the use of personal protective equipment in hospitals
Researchers assessed how the COVID-19 pandemic affected personal protective equipment usage in a German hospital, finding a dramatic increase in PPE consumption during the pandemic that generated substantially more plastic waste with environmental implications.
Abundance and characterization of personal protective equipment (PPE) polluting Kish Island, Persian Gulf
Researchers surveyed the abundance and characteristics of personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf, documenting how pandemic-driven single-use items such as face masks and gloves exacerbated existing plastic pollution in this marine environment.
Personal Protective Equipment Associated with COVID-19 Pandemic and Microplastic
This chapter reviews how the surge in personal protective equipment (PPE) use during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a new stream of microplastic contamination into the environment. The authors examine PPE material composition, fragmentation pathways, and the scale of resulting pollution.