Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, facemasks became mandatory, with a great preference for disposable ones. However, the benefits of face masks for health safety are counteracted by the environmental burden related to their improper disposal. An unprecedented influx of disposable face m...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Oliveira, Ana M., Patrício Silva, Ana L., Soares, Amadeu M. V. M., Barceló, Damià, Duarte, Armando C., Rocha-Santos, Teresa
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/288303
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/288303
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85147095059
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Toxicity
Biodegradation
Face masks
Microplastics
Plastic pollution
Protective equipment
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spelling Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environmentOliveira, Ana M.Patrício Silva, Ana L.Soares, Amadeu M. V. M.Barceló, DamiàDuarte, Armando C.Rocha-Santos, TeresaToxicityBiodegradationFace masksMicroplasticsPlastic pollutionProtective equipmentDuring the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, facemasks became mandatory, with a great preference for disposable ones. However, the benefits of face masks for health safety are counteracted by the environmental burden related to their improper disposal. An unprecedented influx of disposable face masks entering the environment has been reported in the last two years of the pandemic, along with their implications in natural environments in terms of their biodegradability, released contaminants and ecotoxicological effects. This critical review addresses several aspects of the current literature regarding the (bio)degradation and (eco)toxicity of face masks related contaminants, identifying uncertainties and research needs that should be addressed in future studies. While it is indisputable that face mask contamination contributes to the already alarming plastic pollution, we are still far from determining its real environmental and ecotoxicological contribution to the issue. The paucity of studies on biodegradation and ecotoxicity of face masks and related contaminants, and the uncertainties and uncontrolled variables involved during experimental procedures, are compromising eventual comparison with conventional plastic debris. Studies on the abundance and composition of face mask-released contaminants (microplastics/fibres/ chemical compounds) under pre- and post-pandemic conditions should, therefore, be encouraged, along with (bio)degradation and ecotoxicity tests considering environmentally relevant settings. To achieve this, methodological strategies should be developed to overcome technical difficulties to quantify and characterise the smallest MPs and fibres, adsorbents, and leachates to increase the environmental relevancy of the experimental conditions.Thanks to CESAM by FCT/MCTES (UIDP/50017/2020 + UIDB/ 50017/2020 + LA/P/0094/2020) through national funds. A.L.P.S. was funded by the Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT) through CEECIND/01366/2018 research contract; under POCH funds, co-financed by the European Social Fund and Portuguese National Funds from MEC.Peer reviewedElsevierConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202320232023info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/288303https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85147095059reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)InglésJournal of environmental chemical engineeringhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.109308Síinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/2883032026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment
title Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment
spellingShingle Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment
Oliveira, Ana M.
Toxicity
Biodegradation
Face masks
Microplastics
Plastic pollution
Protective equipment
title_short Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment
title_full Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment
title_fullStr Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment
title_full_unstemmed Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment
title_sort Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Oliveira, Ana M.
Patrício Silva, Ana L.
Soares, Amadeu M. V. M.
Barceló, Damià
Duarte, Armando C.
Rocha-Santos, Teresa
author Oliveira, Ana M.
author_facet Oliveira, Ana M.
Patrício Silva, Ana L.
Soares, Amadeu M. V. M.
Barceló, Damià
Duarte, Armando C.
Rocha-Santos, Teresa
author_role author
author2 Patrício Silva, Ana L.
Soares, Amadeu M. V. M.
Barceló, Damià
Duarte, Armando C.
Rocha-Santos, Teresa
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Toxicity
Biodegradation
Face masks
Microplastics
Plastic pollution
Protective equipment
topic Toxicity
Biodegradation
Face masks
Microplastics
Plastic pollution
Protective equipment
description During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, facemasks became mandatory, with a great preference for disposable ones. However, the benefits of face masks for health safety are counteracted by the environmental burden related to their improper disposal. An unprecedented influx of disposable face masks entering the environment has been reported in the last two years of the pandemic, along with their implications in natural environments in terms of their biodegradability, released contaminants and ecotoxicological effects. This critical review addresses several aspects of the current literature regarding the (bio)degradation and (eco)toxicity of face masks related contaminants, identifying uncertainties and research needs that should be addressed in future studies. While it is indisputable that face mask contamination contributes to the already alarming plastic pollution, we are still far from determining its real environmental and ecotoxicological contribution to the issue. The paucity of studies on biodegradation and ecotoxicity of face masks and related contaminants, and the uncertainties and uncontrolled variables involved during experimental procedures, are compromising eventual comparison with conventional plastic debris. Studies on the abundance and composition of face mask-released contaminants (microplastics/fibres/ chemical compounds) under pre- and post-pandemic conditions should, therefore, be encouraged, along with (bio)degradation and ecotoxicity tests considering environmentally relevant settings. To achieve this, methodological strategies should be developed to overcome technical difficulties to quantify and characterise the smallest MPs and fibres, adsorbents, and leachates to increase the environmental relevancy of the experimental conditions.
publishDate 2023
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2023
2023
2023
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/288303
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85147095059
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/288303
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85147095059
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Journal of environmental chemical engineering
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.109308
Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
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repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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