Face masks invading protected areas: Risks and recommendations

Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by COVID-19 pandemic in Marina Beach, the longest urban beach in Asia: Abundance, distribution, and analytical characterization

“…Face shields and hazard suits were not found on the beaches. The predominance of surgical masks in the marine environment has been recorded in most studies with some exceptions ( Ben Haddad et al, 2021 ; De-la-Torre et al, 2021 ; Hatami et al, 2022 ; Rakib et al, 2021 b; Aragaw et al, 2022 ; Dioses-Salinas et al, 2022 ; Mghili et al, 2022 ; Ribeiro et al, 2022 ; Sajorne et al, 2022). This is probably due to the accessibility of surgical masks and their low cost, as well as the mandates of their use.…”

“…In the end, adding a large charge to traditional solid waste management systems. There are several studies worldwide on the inappropriate disposal of PPE litter ( Ben Haddad et al, 2021 ; De-la-Torre et al, 2021 ; Aragaw et al, 2022 ; Gunasekaran et al, 2022 ; Mghili et al, 2022 ; Dioses-Salinas et al, 2022 ; Ribeiro et al, 2022 ; Sajorne et al, 2022). Benson et al (2021) estimated that approximately 3.4 billion face masks were discarded each day.…”

Release of phthalate esters (PAEs) and microplastics (MPs) from face masks and gloves during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…The occurrence of MPs has been evidenced in any possible environmental compartment, including surface waters, sediments, soils, atmosphere, and elsewhere ( Akhbarizadeh et al, 2021a ; Dioses-Salinas et al, 2020 ; Dobaradaran et al, 2018a ; Forero López et al, 2021 ; Hajiouni et al, 2022 ; Kashfi et al, 2022 ; Takdastan et al, 2021 ; Torres and De-la-Torre, 2021 ). Organisms are prone to ingest or inhale MPs through multiple pathways, with potential ecotoxicological effects ( Dioses-Salinas et al, 2022 ). For instance, exposure to polystyrene (PS) MPs induced moderate and severe histological lesions (leukocyte infiltration, hyperemia, crypt cell loss, and villi cell loss) in the intertidal fish Girella laevifrons ( Ahrendt et al, 2020 ).…”

Facemask: Protection or threat?

“…Although single-use PPE effectively combat COVID-19, there are growing environmental concerns about their contribution to plastic waste leaking into the environment ( Ammendolia et al, 2021 ; Okuku et al, 2021 ; Silva et al, 2021b ; Uddin et al, 2021 ). Recent reports have indicated the occurrence of PPE in the marine environment ( Akhbarizadeh et al, 2021 ; Ammendolia et al, 2021 ; Ardusso et al, 2021 ; De-la-Torre and Aragaw, 2021 ; Dioses-Salinas et al, 2022 ; Okuku et al, 2021 ; Prata et al, 2020 ). Mismanaged PPE deposited on land or in landfills can find their way into marine environments through various routes ( De-la-Torre et al, 2021 ; Okuku et al, 2021 ; Rakib et al, 2021 ).…”