ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Fate of Microplastics Released by Discarded
Disposable Masks
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1
South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, MEE, Guangzhou, 510655, China
2
Guangzhou Huake Environmental Protection Engineering Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510655, China
3
College of Civil and Architectural Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology,
Tangshan, 063000, China
Submission date: 2021-10-26
Final revision date: 2022-04-13
Acceptance date: 2022-04-23
Online publication date: 2022-07-26
Publication date: 2022-09-01
Corresponding author
Huiyuan Zhong
North China University of Science and Technology, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(5):4197-4204
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ABSTRACT
The pandemic of COVID-19 has led to a surge increase in the production of masks. Due to the rapid
propagation of COVID-19 and the long survival time of plastic surfaces, a large number of masks are
discharged into the environment without treatment. In this paper, the release of microplastics (MPs)
in nature was simulated by using mask samples irradiated by ultraviolet (UV) light. After 28 days of
ultraviolet radiation, part of the main chain of the mask was broken and a large number of transparent
MPs fell off. The longer the UV irradiation time, the larger the proportion of small particle MPs. The
middle layer of surgical mask is the most difficult to release MPs due to charge treatment, and N95
mask is the most difficult to degrade the inner material.