“…For example, 12 highrisk volatile chemicals (1, 4-dichlorobenzene, toluene, xylenes (p, m, o), ethylene oxide, ethylbenzene, caprolactam, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,Ndimethylformamide, N-methylpyrrolidone and dimethyl glutarate) were recently detected in surgical face masks. 35 Some of these substances are considered carcinogenic.…”
Introduction: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments mandated the wearing of face masks by law. New research shows that these masks contain and release microplastics.
Methods: In the present work, five samples of surgical masks were examined microscopically for the presence of particles and fragments. The masks were purchased from two of the largest supermarket chains in Switzerland.
Results: Particles and fragments were found on the fiber surfaces in the inner layer of all face masks examined. The size of these objects varied in the range of about 2-40 µm, with dark spots and particles on the fibers having a smaller diameter than the more transparent fragments.
Conclusions: In this work, it was shown that particles and fragments in the micrometer range can be found on the inside of commercially available surgical face masks purchased in supermarkets in Switzerland. The health significance of the presence of particles and fragments in the micrometer range as demonstrated by the current investigation of surgical face masks needs to be further investigated.
“…For example, 12 highrisk volatile chemicals (1, 4-dichlorobenzene, toluene, xylenes (p, m, o), ethylene oxide, ethylbenzene, caprolactam, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,Ndimethylformamide, N-methylpyrrolidone and dimethyl glutarate) were recently detected in surgical face masks. 35 Some of these substances are considered carcinogenic.…”
Introduction: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments mandated the wearing of face masks by law. New research shows that these masks contain and release microplastics.
Methods: In the present work, five samples of surgical masks were examined microscopically for the presence of particles and fragments. The masks were purchased from two of the largest supermarket chains in Switzerland.
Results: Particles and fragments were found on the fiber surfaces in the inner layer of all face masks examined. The size of these objects varied in the range of about 2-40 µm, with dark spots and particles on the fibers having a smaller diameter than the more transparent fragments.
Conclusions: In this work, it was shown that particles and fragments in the micrometer range can be found on the inside of commercially available surgical face masks purchased in supermarkets in Switzerland. The health significance of the presence of particles and fragments in the micrometer range as demonstrated by the current investigation of surgical face masks needs to be further investigated.
“… Environmental exposures Analytes Types of facemasks limits of detection Analytical approaches Ref. Chemicals in facemask 16 organophosphate esters Surgical facemasks, self-filtering masks, re-usable facemasks 0.005-0.644 ng/mask LC-MS [ 86 ] Phthalate esters 12 surgical facemask and four N95/P1/P2 facemasks 0.016-10 ng/sample GC-MS [ 89 ] Alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalate esters, and reactive carbonyls 60 commercial facemasks 0.05-24.9 ng GC/MSD, LC-FID, LC-MS [ 91 ] 31 fluorescent whitening agents 18 brands of children facemasks 0.002 ∼ 10 mg/kg LC-MS [ 92 ] volatile chemicals KN95 facemask NA GC-MS [ 95 ] 12 high-risk volatile chemicals 60 mask samples of different brands 0.23 mg/kg GC-MS [ 96 ] Pollutants in ambient air CO, CO 2 , benzene, HCN, HCl, H 2 SO 4 , HF, acrolein, CH 4 , formaldehyde and PNAs Self-contained breathing apparatus facepiece 5 μg m -3 FT-IR [ 98 ] ∼ 1 ppm Dust and crystalline silica FFP3 facemasks with a miniature sampler 30-500 μg XRD [ 99 ] Sodium chloride aerosol 3 FFP3 facemasks and one half-mask fitted with P3 filters 0.3 μg SFP [ 100 ] 9 PAHs Fabric facemasks 0.06-0.8 ng LC-FLD [ 101 ] ...…”
Section: Facemask Sampling Of Human Inhalable Environmental Exposuresmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Chen et al reported that many unknown background VOCs of KN95 facemask can be detected along with exhaled breath VOCs by coupling SPME with GC×GC-MS [ 95 ]. Liu et al [ 96 ] reported that a total of 69 volatile substances were found in medical facemasks by headspace HR-GC-MS. Figure 5 Representative facemask devices for in vivo sampling of human inhalable aerosols: a) Inhalation experiments in indoors with facemasks M7 and M10, reproduce from Ref. [ 86 ] with permission, b) inhalation experiments at outdoors with facemasks M12 and M18, reproduced from Ref.…”
Section: Facemask Sampling Of Human Inhalable Environmental Exposuresmentioning
“…If hazardous compounds are released from these masks, the human body is at risk ( Aerts et al, 2020 , Fernández-Arribas et al, 2021 , Xie et al, 2022 ). For example, dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylacetamide (DMAc), which are organic solvents used in the production of masks and have been detected in KF masks in South Korea ( Liu et al, 2022 , Mariello et al, 2021 ), cause reproductive toxicity, liver toxicity, and cancer in the human body ( Lamkarkach et al, 2022 , Maxfield et al, 1975 , Wang and Chen, 2020 ). Accordingly, South Korea has drafted a law to regulate the amount of DMF and DMAc allowed to be released from KF masks, setting the limit below 5 mg/kg.…”
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