Surgical face masks as a potential source for microplastic pollution in the COVID-19 scenario

Abstract

Although there have been enormous reports on the microplastic pollution from different plastic products, impacts, controlling mechanisms in recent years, the surgical face masks, made up of polymeric materials, as a source of microplastic pollution potential in the ecosystem are not fully understood and considered yet. Current studies are mostly stated out that microplastics pollution should be a big deal because of their enormous effect on the aquatic biota, and the entire environment. Due to the complicated conditions of the aquatic bodies, microplastics could have multiple effects, and reports so far are still lacking. In addition to real microplastic pollutions which has been known before, face mask as a potential microplastic source could be also researching out, including the management system, in detail. It is noted that face masks are easily ingested by higher organisms, such as fishes, and microorganisms in the aquatic life which will affect the food chain and finally chronic health problems to humans. As a result, microplastic from the face mask should be a focus worldwide.

Keywords: Covid-19; Disposable plastics; Medical face mask; Microplastics pollution; Plastic production.

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

Schematic diagram of electrospinning processing steps for the fabrication of nanofibre (SalehHudin et al., 2018).

Fig. 2

Collection of various Covid-19 face masks of different types and colors (A) from Bahir Dar city littering and coasts of Lake Tana (photo credits by the present author) (B) from Mediterranean ocean-bed Photo credit: Mediterranean ocean-bed (NEWS18, BUZZ).

Fig. 3

Disassembled photo (photo credit by the present author) of the three-layer face mask (A) and the corresponding FTIR spectra (B)

Fig. 4

Thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis of the three layers surgical face mask.