Postgraduate and Research Department of Zoology, Pachaiyappa's College for Men, Chennai 600 030, India.
Dept BIN Convergence Tech, Dept PolymerNano Sci, Tech, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-dearo, Deokjin, Jeonju, Jeollabu k-do 54896, Republic of Korea.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Aug 20;887:163984. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163984. Epub 2023 May 8.
The widespread use of Personal protective equipments (PPEs) by the healthcare professionals and public due to Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has become a new source for MFs pollution. Mismanaged plastic wastes and random dispose of used surgical face mask end up in large aquatic bodies via small waterways and waste water treatment plants (WWTPs). Microplastics/Microfibres (MPs/MFs) have recently been reported in a variety of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including water, deep sea sediments, air and soil. Natural components like UV radiation and temperature play a major role in weathering of surgical masks. High loads of MPs/MFs emitted into the aquatic environment are easily consumed by organism's habitat in such ecosystem by disrupting the food chain and causing chronic health problems in the organisms including humans. The aim of this review article is to shed light on these issues and compile the most recent information available regarding the deterioration of surgical face masks in the environment as well as other contaminants and their presence in various environments, particularly with regard to methods that make use of exposure models, biomarkers of exposure, and their limitations. Along with this, the study focuses on identifying gaps in current understanding and highlighting prospective research directions. The literature on surgical face mask pollution and its effects on the biological and physiological systems of various organisms and ecosystems is critically analysed in this review. It also raises awareness of how to properly dispose of used surgical face masks and other PPEs.
由于冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行，医护人员和公众广泛使用个人防护设备（PPE），这已成为微生物（MFs）污染的新来源。管理不善的塑料废物和随意丢弃使用过的外科口罩，最终通过小水道和废水处理厂（WWTPs）进入大型水体。微塑料/微纤维（MPs/MFs）最近在各种水和陆地生态系统中，包括水、深海沉积物、空气和土壤中都有报道。像紫外线辐射和温度这样的自然成分在外科口罩的风化过程中起着重要作用。大量排放到水生环境中的 MPs/MFs 很容易被这些生态系统中的生物栖息地所消耗，从而破坏食物链，并在包括人类在内的生物体中造成慢性健康问题。本文的目的是阐明这些问题，并汇编有关外科口罩在环境中降解以及其他污染物及其在各种环境中存在的最新信息，特别是在利用暴露模型、暴露生物标志物及其局限性方面。与此同时，该研究侧重于确定当前理解中的差距，并强调未来的研究方向。本文对有关外科口罩污染及其对各种生物体和生态系统的生物和生理系统影响的文献进行了批判性分析。它还提高了人们对如何正确处理使用过的外科口罩和其他个人防护设备的认识。
