The spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) levied on the Moroccan authorities to increase their mask production capacity, which reached up to 12 million facemask units produced per day. This increase in personal protective equipment (PPE) production and consumption is an efficient tool to address the spread of COVID-19. However, this results in more plastic and microplastic debris being added into the land and marine environments, which will harm the ecosystem, wildlife, and public health. Such a situation needs deep individual behavior observation and tracking, as well as an assessment of the potential environmental impact of this new type of waste. For this reason, we assessed the Moroccan population’s behavior regarding the use and disposal of facemasks and gloves. An exploratory survey was prepared and shared via social media and email with the population of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra and Casablanca-Settat regions. Additionally, we calculated the estimated number and weight of daily and weekly PPE used and generated by the studied regions. The survey showed that 70% of the respondents threw their discarded masks and gloves in house trash or trash bins after their first use, whereas nearly 30% of respondents admitted that they did not wear masks because they did not leave their homes during the lockdown, while from the 70% of facemask users, more than five million (equivalent to 40,000 kg) of facemasks would be generated and disposed of daily by the community of these regions, which presents 35% of the total engendered facemask waste in Morocco. Accordingly, the environment impact of facemasks showed that the greenhouse gas footprint is about 640 kT CO2 eq./year for the whole of Morocco, while the energy footprint is around 60,000 GWh/year. Furthermore, an urgent multidisciplinary environmental assessment of the potential impact of PPE must be conducted among the 12 Moroccan regions. This study demonstrated the real impact of the COVID-19 PPE on human behavior and the environment and suggests a need for providing new didactic management of facemasks and gloves.
Electrodeposition and electrochemical charging of hybrid organic/inorganic films composed of the poly͑3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene͒, PEDOT, conducting polymer matrix, and Keggin type polyoxometallate, phosphododecamolybdate (PMo 12 O 40 3Ϫ) or phosphododecatungstate (PW 12 O 40 3Ϫ ), redox centers, are described under conditions of aqueous solutions. The systems are electropolymerized through potential cycling as thin and moderately thick ͑m level͒ films on electrode surfaces. They are capable of fast charge propagation during redox reactions in strong acid medium ͑0.5 mol dm Ϫ3 H 2 SO 4 ). The high overall physicochemical stability of PEDOT is explored to produce a robust, conductive, matrix for such polynuclear mixedvalence inorganic nanostructures as PMo 12 O 40 3Ϫ and PW 12 O 40 3Ϫ . The composite ͑hybrid͒ materials are stabilized due to the existence of electrostatic attraction between anionic phosphomolybdate or phosphotungstate units and positively charged conducting polymer ͑oxidized͒. Charge transport is facilitated by the fact that the reversible and fast redox reactions of polyoxometallate appear in the potential range where PEDOT is conductive. The effective diffusion coefficients are on the level 4 ϫ 10 Ϫ8 cm 2 s Ϫ1 . The whole concept may lead to the fabrication of composite ͑hybrid͒ films that are capable of effective accumulation and propagation of charge in redox capacitors.
The chemical characterization of the Ghis-Nekor groundwater has become a concern of many researchers in Morocco. It is a crucial indicator for the environment situation and the socioeconomic development of this Moroccan region. Indeed, it helps decisionmakers carry out conscious and sustainable management. For this reason, 20 samples of the Ghis-Nekor aquifer were examined in terms of physicochemical parameters such as pH, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), and total alkalinity (Alk), major cations–anions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3−, Cl−, SO42−, NO3−, and TDS), isotopic elements (δ18O, δ2H, and δ13C), and concentrations of Br and Sr anions in 2020. Furthermore, spatial data analysis with a geographic information system (GIS) using the ArcGis software (Redlands, California, USA). Indeed, static maps show significant water quality information that helps characterize the groundwater of the study area. The spatial analysis by the GIS indicates that except the EC (from 2630 to 6950 mS/cm), all the physical parameters showed standard concentration values in most of the samples. A significant concentration above the Moroccan norm of groundwater quality for sodium (Na+) from 264.3 to 1500 mg/L, chlorides (Cl−) concentrations from 408.3 to 1510 mg/L, SO42− from 313.1 to 999.2 mg/L, and bicarbonate (HCO3−) from 283.7 to 679.8 mg/L was observed, while all the points exceeded the recommended standards norm for SO42−. Most of the points met the potability standards for potassium (K+). In terms of the isotopic elements, the concentration values of δ18O were from −3.92‰ to –5.60‰, while the δ2H concentration values varied between −28.67‰ and −39.99‰. The analysis revealed values of carbon isotope δ13C ranging between −3.15‰ and −8.61‰, thus suggesting that the origin of the carbon is mineral, mainly deriving from calcite dissolution. The analysis of the bromide and strontium contents made it possible to discriminate the origin of the salinity anomalies. The Cl/Br, Br/Cl, and Sr/Ca molar ratios distinguished the areas of influence of geological setting (saliferous facies outcrops) or anthropogenic effect (wastewater). The results of the analysis shed light on factors of contamination, which are as follows: urban zones (Imzourene, Ait Youssef, and Souani) and agricultural activities. Therefore, the use of these waters could pose a risk to the health of humans and animals. Similarly, the GIS is a practical and effective tool for the Ghis-Nekor groundwater quality diagnostics and could help decisionmakers establish solutions.
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