PPE pollution in the terrestrial and aquatic environment of the Chittagong city area associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and concomitant health implications

The present study focuses on the indiscriminate disposal of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and resulting environmental contamination during the 3rd wave of COVID-19-driven global pandemic in the Chittagong metropolitan area, Bangladesh. Because of the very high rate of infection by the delta v...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science and pollution research international 2022-04, Vol.29 (18), p.27521-27533
Main Authors: Abedin, Md. Jainal, Khandaker, Mayeen Uddin, Uddin, Md. Ripaj, Karim, Md. Rezaul, Ahamad, M. Shahab Uddin, Islam, Md. Ariful, Arif, Abu Mohammad, Sulieman, Abdelmoneim, Idris, Abubakr M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic environment
Aquatic Pollution
Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution
Bangladesh - epidemiology
Contamination
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Disease transmission
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecosystem
Ecotoxicology
Environment
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Health
Environmental impact
Environmental science
Humans
Ingestion
Inhalation
Masks
Metropolitan areas
Microfibers
Microplastics
Pandemics
Personal Protective Equipment
Plastic debris
Plastics
Protective equipment
Public opinion
Research Article
Respiration
SARS-CoV-2
Terrestrial environments
Viral diseases
Viruses
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
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Summary:The present study focuses on the indiscriminate disposal of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and resulting environmental contamination during the 3rd wave of COVID-19-driven global pandemic in the Chittagong metropolitan area, Bangladesh. Because of the very high rate of infection by the delta variant of this virus, the use of PPEs by the public is increased significantly to protect the ingestion/inhalation of respiratory droplets in the air. However, it is a matter of solicitude that general people throw away the PPEs to the dwelling environment unconsciously. With the increase of inappropriate disposal of PPEs (i.e., mostly the disposable face masks made from plastic microfibers), the possibility of transmission of the virus to the general public cannot be neglected completely. This is because this virus can survive for several days on the inanimate matter like plastics and fibers. At the same time, the result of environmental contamination by microplastic/microfiber has been widespread which eventually creates the worst impact on ecosystems and organisms. The present results may help to increase public perception of the use and subsequent disposal of PPEs, especially the face masks.
ISSN:0944-1344
1614-7499
1614-7499
DOI:10.1007/s11356-021-17859-8