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

Aragaw, Tadele Assefa

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111517

Cited by 607 publications

(442 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The most recent publications claim that the increase in production/consumption of this product is adding a large amount of plastic and plastic particle waste to the environment, reaching waterways 87 (freshwater and marine environments) and the surrounding soils. 88,89 This will be another key challenge related to microplastics and soil pollution for the scientific community in this new era. 90…”

Section: Soil Biodiversity and Threatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Science Challenges in a New Era: A Transdisciplinary Overview of Relevant Topics

Rodrigo‐Comino

López‐Vicente

Kumar³

et al. 2020

Air, Soil and Water Research

101

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Transdisciplinary approaches that provide holistic views are essential to properly understand soil processes and the importance of soil to society and will be crucial in the future to integrate distinct disciplines into soil studies. A myriad of challenges faces soil science at the beginning of the 2020s. The main aim of this overview is to assess past achievements and current challenges regarding soil threats such as erosion and soil contamination related to different United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) including (1) sustainable food production, (2) ensure healthy lives and reduce environmental risks (SDG3), (3) ensure water availability (SDG6), and (4) enhanced soil carbon sequestration because of climate change (SDG13). Twenty experts from different disciplines related to soil sciences offer perspectives on important research directions. Special attention must be paid to some concerns such as (1) effective soil conservation strategies; (2) new computational technologies, models, and in situ measurements that will bring new insights to in-soil process at spatiotemporal scales, their relationships, dynamics, and thresholds; (3) impacts of human activities, wildfires, and climate change on soil microorganisms and thereby on biogeochemical cycles and water relationships; (4) microplastics as a new potential pollutant; (5) the development of green technologies for soil rehabilitation; and (6) the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by simultaneous soil carbon sequestration and reduction in nitrous oxide emission. Manuscripts on topics such as these are particularly welcomed in Air, Soil and Water Research.

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Section: Soil Biodiversity and Threatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Science Challenges in a New Era: A Transdisciplinary Overview of Relevant Topics

Rodrigo‐Comino

López‐Vicente

Kumar³

et al. 2020

Air, Soil and Water Research

101

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“…Similar to the public bio-medical wastes, the COVID-waste has been incinerated at a temperature above 1100 °C (Ilyas et al 2020 ). Thus, several toxins are generated in place incineration like furan, and dioxins cause severe health problems (Aragaw 2020 ) (Ilyas et al 2020 ). In addition, incineration along with flue-gas purification also required additional costs and load to the worker.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current plastics pollution threats due to COVID-19 and its possible mitigation techniques: a waste-to-energy conversion via Pyrolysis

2021

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Background The extensive use and production of PPE, and disposal in the COVID-19 pandemic increases the plastic wastes arise environmental threats. Roughly, 129 billion face masks and 65 billion plastic gloves every month are used and disposed of on the globe. The study aims to identify the polymer type of face masks and gloves and sustainable plastic waste management options. Results The identification of polymers, which can help for fuel conversion alternatives, was confirmed by FTIR and TGA/DTA analysis and confirms that the polymeric categories fit for the intended purpose. Moreover, the handling technique for upcycling and the environmental impacts of the medical face mask and glove were discussed. The FTIR result revealed that face masks and gloves are polypropylene and PVC thermoplastic polymer, respectively and they can be easily transformed to fuel energy via pyrolysis. The endothermic peaks around 431 ℃ for medical glove and 175 ℃ for surgical is observed tells that the melting point of the PVC and polypropylene of plastic polymers, respectively. The pyrolysis of the face mask and glove was carried out in a closed reactor at 400 ℃ for 1 h. Conferring to lab-scale processes, liquid, and wax fuel rate of 75%, char of 10%, and the rest non-condensable gases were estimated at the end. Conclusions It can be concluded that the medical plastics can be recycled into oil due to their thermoplastics nature having high oil content and the waste to energy conversion can potentially reduce the volume of PPE plastic wastes.

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“…Increase of urban agriculture is faced with the fact that contamination by heavy metals, organic pollutants, antibiotics and petroleum products are among the major constraints limiting the use of urban soils for food production (Menefee and Hettiarachichi, 2018). Moreover, there is evidence that the enormous quantity of disposable plastic gloves and face masks that get into the environment (soils and waters) could increase the accumulation of their related microplastics and fibres within a short time (Fadare and Okoffo, 2020;Aragaw, 2020). Another effect derives from the lack of access to fertilizers to small farmers in low-income countries, as has already been reported in Thai- Figure 1.…”

Section: Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Food and Soil Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil: the great connector of our lives now and beyond COVID-19

Poch

Anjos

Attia

et al. 2020

SOIL

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Abstract. Humanity depends on the existence of healthy soils, both for the production of food and for ensuring a healthy, biodiverse environment, among other functions. COVID-19 is threatening food availability in many places of the world due to the disruption of food chains, lack of workforce, closed borders and national lockdowns. As a consequence, more emphasis is being placed on local food production, which may lead to more intensive cultivation of vulnerable areas and to soil degradation. In order to increase the resilience of populations facing this pandemic and future global crises, transitioning to a paradigm that relies more heavily on local food production on soils that are carefully tended and protected through sustainable management is necessary. To reach this goal, the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recommends five active strategies: improved access to land, sound land use planning, sustainable soil management, enhanced research, and investments in education and extension. The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it we can have no community, because without proper care for it we can have no life. – Wendell Berry (American novelist)

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

Cited by 607 publications

References 29 publications

Soil Science Challenges in a New Era: A Transdisciplinary Overview of Relevant Topics

Soil Science Challenges in a New Era: A Transdisciplinary Overview of Relevant Topics

Current plastics pollution threats due to COVID-19 and its possible mitigation techniques: a waste-to-energy conversion via Pyrolysis

Soil: the great connector of our lives now and beyond COVID-19

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