https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.152980

Environmental risks of polymer materials from disposable face masks linked to the COVID-19 pandemic

A serious viral infectious disease was introduced to the globe by the end of 2019 that was seen primarily from China, but spread worldwide in a few months to be a pandemic. Since then, accurate prevention, early detection, and effective treatment strategies are not yet outlined. There is no approved drug to counter its worldwide transmission. However, integration of nanostructured delivery systems with the current management strategies has promised a pronounced opportunity to tackle the pandemic. This review addressed the various promising nanotechnology-based approaches for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of the pandemic. The pharmaceutical, pharmacoeconomic, and regulatory aspects of these systems with currently achieved or predicted beneficial outcomes, challenges, and future perspectives are also highlighted.

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Could Nanotechnology Help to End the Fight Against COVID-19? Review of Current Findings, Challenges and Future Perspectives.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2022.102653

Fabrication of air filters with advanced filtration performance for removal of viral aerosols and control the spread of COVID-19

The massive global consumption and discarded face masks drove by the ongoing spread of COVID-19. Meantime, incineration and landfill discarded face masks would result in severe environmental pollution and infectious hazards. Herein a suggestion to recycle polypropylene waste masks into CNTs by an environmentally friendly and high-added value disposal process was proposed, and which was prepared as supercapacitor electrode materials for energy storage attempting. The CNTs were prepared from waste masks by catalysis pyrolysis with Ni-Fe bimetallic catalysts. Especially, the bamboo-like structure CNT was obtained with Ni/Fe molar ratio is 3. This structure owned a high specific capacitance compared to other standard CNTs. Its specific capacitance could reach 56.04 F/g (1 A/g) and has excellent cycling stability with a capacitance retention rate of the material is 85.41% after 10,000 cycles. Besides, the assembled capacitor possesses a good energy density of 4.78 Wh/kg at a power density of 900 W/kg. Thus, this work provides a sustainable and cost-effective strategy for disposing waste masks into high-valuable CNT, and their potential application for supercapacitors was also studied and exploited. It would provide a new idea for recycling and utilizing other polypropylene wastes such as medical devices. 

/pdf/carbon-nanotube-prepared-by-catalytic-pyrolysis-as-the-v71nucog.pdf

Carbon Nanotube prepared by catalytic pyrolysis as the electrode for supercapacitors from polypropylene wasted face masks

Background Mask use can lead to facial dermatoses due to factors, such as hyperhydration, seborrhea, high humidity caused by sweating, and the occlusive effect of the mask. Aim We investigated mask-related facial dermatoses in healthcare personnel who, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, had to wear a mask for long hours. Methods In this study, healthcare professionals working at Medipol Mega University Hospital since the beginning of the pandemic were screened for facial dermatoses between December 2020 and February 2021 with a dermatological examination and interview. Results Of the 101 healthcare professionals, 51 (50.5%) were doctors and 50 (49.5%) nurses, and 36 (35.6%) were male and 65 (64.4%) were female. All the participants had been actively working at the hospital for 35-46 weeks since the beginning of the pandemic and wearing N95 or surgical masks for an average of 6-13 h a day. During the dermatological examination, the most common facial dermatosis was acne, which was observed in 55.4% (n = 56) of the cases. Of the 56 acne cases, 41.1% (n = 23) had acne in their history, while 58.9% (n = 33) had new-onset acne. Being female, using a N95 surgical mask compared to surgical mask, and the daily average duration of mask use were determined as risk factors for acne development due to mask use. Conclusions The use of masks, more frequently N95, caused both an increase in existing acne and the development of new acne.

Jerry T.J. Ju

Papers

Face masks against COVID-19: Standards, efficacy, testing and decontamination methods.