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Million Microfiber Releases: Comparing Washable and Disposable Face Masks
Environmental Science & Technology ( IF 10.8 ) Pub Date : 2024-09-10 , DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c03601
Yuyue Huang 1 , Ayoub Laghrissi 2 , Jacek Fiutowski 2 , Martin A B Hedegaard 3 , Xiaoyu Duan 1 , Xin Wang 1 , Mohamed Helal 1 , Horst-Günter Rubahn 2 , Henrik Holbech 1 , Gary Hardiman 4 , Xiangrong Xu 5 , Elvis Genbo Xu 1
Affiliation  

The extensive use of single-use or disposable face masks has raised environmental concerns related to microfiber contamination. In contrast, research on the potential release and ecological impact of microfibers from washable masks (WMs), suggested as an eco-friendly alternative, is currently lacking. Here, we comprehensively investigated the release of microfibers from disposable and WMs of different types in simulated aquatic environments and real-life scenarios, including shaking, disinfection, hand washing, and machine washing. Using a combination of wide-field fluorescence microscopy, He-ion microscopy, and confocal μ-Raman spectroscopy, we revealed that disposable masks (DMs) released microfibers ranging from 18 to 3042 microfiber/piece, whereas WMs released 6.1 × 104–6.7 × 106 microfibers/piece depending on the simulated conditions above. Another noteworthy finding was the observed negative correlation between microfiber release and the proportion of reinforcement (embossing) on the DM surfaces. Microfibers from tested DMs primarily comprised polypropylene (PP), while WMs predominantly released poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and cellulose microfibers. Furthermore, acute toxicological analyses unveiled that PP microfibers (0.01–50 mg/L) from DMs impacted zebrafish larval swimming behavior, while PET microfibers from WMs delayed early-stage zebrafish hatching. This study offers new insights into the source of microfiber contamination and raises concerns about the environmental implications linked to the use of washable face masks.

中文翻译:


百万次超细纤维释放:比较可清洗和一次性口罩



一次性或一次性口罩的广泛使用引发了与超细纤维污染相关的环境问题。相比之下,目前缺乏关于可水洗口罩 (WM) 中超细纤维的潜在释放和生态影响的研究,被认为是一种环保替代品。在这里,我们全面研究了在模拟水生环境和真实场景(包括摇晃、消毒、洗手和机洗)中不同类型的一次性和 WM 中释放的微纤维。通过结合宽视场荧光显微镜、He-离子显微镜和共聚焦μ拉曼光谱,我们发现一次性口罩 (DM) 释放的超细纤维范围为 18 至 3042 根/件,而 WM 释放的微纤维为 6.1 × 10 4-6.7 × 106 根超细纤维/件,具体取决于上述模拟条件。另一个值得注意的发现是观察到的超细纤维释放与 DM 表面增强(压花)的比例之间存在负相关。来自测试的 DM 的超细纤维主要由聚丙烯 (PP) 组成,而 WM 主要释放聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯 (PET) 和纤维素超细纤维。此外,急性毒理学分析显示,来自 DMs 的 PP 超细纤维 (0.01–50 mg/L) 影响斑马鱼幼虫的游泳行为,而来自 WMs 的 PET 超细纤维延迟了斑马鱼的早期孵化。这项研究为超细纤维污染的来源提供了新的见解,并引发了人们对使用可清洗口罩对环境影响的担忧。
更新日期:2024-09-10
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