TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical and chemical degradation of littered personal protective equipment (PPE) under simulated environmental conditions
AU - De-la-Torre, Gabriel Enrique
AU - Dioses-Salinas, Diana Carolina
AU - Dobaradaran, Sina
AU - Spitz, Jörg
AU - Keshtkar, Mozhgan
AU - Akhbarizadeh, Razegheh
AU - Abedi, Delaram
AU - Tavakolian, Abbasali
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/5
Y1 - 2022/5
N2 - Investigations of the physicochemical degradation of personal protective equipment (PPE) under controlled environmental conditions are largely lacking. Here the chemical and physical changes of face masks and gloves (recovered from the marine environment) were evaluated after exposure time up to 60 days of simulated environmental conditions. The results suggested that the polymer backbone of PPE suffers typical changes induced by sun exposure. Changes in the intensity of diffraction peaks indicated shifts in the crystallinity of PPE, possibly altering their thermal behavior. Signs of physical degradation in PPE, such as ruptures, and rough surfaces, which exacerbated over time were also detected. Additionally, signals of some elements of concern, such as Cu and Mo, and elements typically found in seawater were detected. The results of this study allowed us to better understand the degradation of typical PPE items in the marine environment, ultimately resulting in the release of microplastics and chemical contaminants.
AB - Investigations of the physicochemical degradation of personal protective equipment (PPE) under controlled environmental conditions are largely lacking. Here the chemical and physical changes of face masks and gloves (recovered from the marine environment) were evaluated after exposure time up to 60 days of simulated environmental conditions. The results suggested that the polymer backbone of PPE suffers typical changes induced by sun exposure. Changes in the intensity of diffraction peaks indicated shifts in the crystallinity of PPE, possibly altering their thermal behavior. Signs of physical degradation in PPE, such as ruptures, and rough surfaces, which exacerbated over time were also detected. Additionally, signals of some elements of concern, such as Cu and Mo, and elements typically found in seawater were detected. The results of this study allowed us to better understand the degradation of typical PPE items in the marine environment, ultimately resulting in the release of microplastics and chemical contaminants.
KW - Degradation
KW - Glove
KW - Mask
KW - Plastic
KW - Polymer
KW - PPE
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85127506987&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113587
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113587
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85127506987
VL - 178
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
SN - 0025-326X
M1 - 113587
ER -