Title
Degradation of plastics associated with the COVID-19 pandemic
Date Issued
01 March 2022
Access level
open access
Resource Type
review
Author(s)
Pizarro-Ortega C.I.
Dioses-Salinas D.C.
Fernández Severini M.D.
Forero López A.D.
Rimondino G.N.
Benson N.U.
Dobaradaran S.
Publisher(s)
Elsevier Ltd
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented form of plastic pollution: personal protective equipment (PPE). Numerous studies have reported the occurrence of PPE in the marine environment. However, their degradation in the environment and consequences are poorly understood. Studies have reported that face masks, the most abundant type of PPE, are significant sources of microplastics due to their fibrous microstructure. The fibrous material (mostly consisting of polypropylene) exhibits physical changes in the environment, leading to its fracture and detachment of microfibers. Most studies have evaluated PPE degradation under controlled laboratory conditions. However, in situ degradation experiments, including the colonization of PPE, are largely lacking. Although ecotoxicological studies are largely lacking, the first attempts to understand the impact of MPs released from face masks showed various types of impacts, such as fertility and reproduction deficiencies in both aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
Volume
176
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ecología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85125226468
PubMed ID
Source
Marine Pollution Bulletin
ISSN of the container
0025326X
Sponsor(s)
The corresponding author is thankful to Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola for financial support. This work was funded by Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica ( ANPCyT-PICT 2019-2241- ) granted to MDFS and ADFL, Argentina.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus