文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：Personal protective equipment (PPE) disposal during COVID-19: An emerging source of microplastic and microfiber pollution in the environment

作者：Khan, Muhammad Tariq[1];Shah, Izaz Ali[2];Hossain, Md Faysal[1,3];Akther, Nasrin[3,4];Zhou, Yanbo[3];Khan, Muhammad Sajawal[5];Al-shaeli, Muayad[6];Bacha, Muhammad Suleman[7];Ihsanullah, Ihsanullah[8]

机构：[1]Educ Univ Hong Kong, Dept Sci & Environm Studies, Tai po New Territories, Hong Kong, Peoples R China;[2]Beijing Normal Univ, Sch Environm, State Key Joint Lab Environm Simulat & Pollut Cont, 19 Xinjiekouwai St, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China;[3]East China Univ Sci & Technol, State Environm Protect Key Lab Environm Risk Asses, 130 Meilong Rd, Shanghai 200237, Peoples R China;[4]Univ Chittagong, Dept Soil Sci, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh;[5]Univ Swat, Dept Environm & conservat Sci, Swat, Pakistan;[6]Karlsruhe Inst Technol, Inst Micro Proc Engn IMVT, Hermann von Helmholtz Pl 1, D-76344 Eggenstein Leopoldshafen, Germany;[7]Univ Peshawar, Dept Environm Sci, Peshawar, Pakistan;[8]King Fahd Univ Petr & Minerals, Res Inst, Ctr Environm & Water, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia

年份：2023

卷号：860

外文期刊名：SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

收录：;EI(收录号：20230213380251);WOS:【SCI-EXPANDED(收录号:WOS:000921980500001)】；

语种：英文

外文关键词：Personal protective equipment; Microplastics; Micro fibers; Health risks; COVID-19

摘要：Waste generated by healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a new source of pollution, particularly with the widespread use of single-use personal protective equipment (PPE). Releasing microplastics (MPs) and microfibers (MFs) from discarded PPE becomes an emerging threat to environmental sustainability. MPs/MFs have recently been reported in a variety of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including water, deep-sea sediments, air, and soil. As COVID-19 spreads, the use of plastic-made PPE in healthcare facilities has increased significantly worldwide, resulting in massive amounts of plastic waste entering the terrestrial and marine environments. High loads of MPs/MFs emitted into the environment due to excessive PPE consumption are easily consumed by aquatic organisms, disrupting the food chain, and potentially causing chronic health problems in humans. Thus, proper management of PPE waste is critical for ensuring a post-COVID sustainable environment, which has recently attracted the attention of the scientific community. The current study aims to review the global consumption and sustainable management of discarded PPE in the context of COVID-19. The severe impacts of PPE-emitted MPs/MFs on human health and other environmental segments are briefly addressed. Despite extensive research progress in the area, many questions about MP/MF contamination in the context of COVID-19 remain unanswered. Therefore, in response to the post-COVID environmental remediation concerns, future research directions and recommendations are highlighted considering the current MP/ MF research progress from COVID-related PPE waste.