Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mohammad Abbas Uddin, Shaila Afroj, Tahmid Hasan, Chris Carr, Kostya S. Novoselov, Nazmul Karim
Summary: Personal protective clothing is crucial for shielding users from highly infectious diseases, but the environmental impacts of single-use plastic-based protective clothing are significant. Despite environmental concerns, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in the use of disposable protective clothing, potentially exacerbating oceanic plastic pollution. Therefore, fundamental changes in business models are needed to address these issues, such as increasing the use of reusable protective clothing.
ADVANCED SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
F. Ortega, M. Calero, N. Rico, M. A. Martin-Lara
Summary: The study aims to monitor the presence of disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) waste and other plastic debris on the coastal areas of Granada, Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed significant amounts of plastic and PPE debris, with higher presence on touristic/recreational beaches compared to fishing beaches. This study provides important insights for addressing this issue.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Samarjeet Singh Siwal, Gauri Chaudhary, Adesh Kumar Saini, Harjot Kaur, Vipin Saini, Sudesh Kumar Mokhta, Ramesh Chand, U. K. Chandel, Graham Christie, Vijay Kumar Thakur
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the complexity of plastic trash management and disposal, leading to the widespread use of single-use protective equipment. Various technologies are now being developed to convert waste PPE into valuable products.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gabriel Enrique De-la-Torre, Diana Carolina Dioses-Salinas, Sina Dobaradaran, Joerg Spitz, Mozhgan Keshtkar, Razegheh Akhbarizadeh, Delaram Abedi, Abbasali Tavakolian
Summary: This study evaluated the physicochemical degradation of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the marine environment and found that PPE undergoes changes in polymer backbone, crystallinity, and physical integrity due to sun exposure. The presence of harmful elements and signs of physical degradation were also detected. These findings contribute to a better understanding of PPE degradation in the marine environment and the subsequent release of microplastics and chemical contaminants.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ville Lahtela, Haruna Hamod, Timo Karki
Summary: Excessive waste, such as electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), is accumulating due to increased consumption. This study explores the polymer composition of WEEE and identifies acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as the main polymer present. However, there is a significant proportion of unidentified polymers, and the presence of bromine is positively correlated with the unidentified WEEE polymer.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ibrahim A. Hassan, Alaa Younis, Mansour A. Al Ghamdi, Mansour Almazroui, Jalal M. Basahi, Mostafa M. El-Sheekh, Emad K. Abouelkhair, Nesreen S. Haiba, Mohammed S. Alhussaini, Dina Hajjar, Magdy M. Abdel Wahab, Dahlia M. El Maghraby
Summary: This study conducted clean-up campaigns in coastal cities in Egypt and Saudi Arabia during the summer of 2020, revealing the negative environmental impacts of single-use gloves and masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for further attention and action.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Taylor A. M. Wolffe, Anna Clinton, Andrew Robinson, Louis Turrell, Anna A. Stec
Summary: This study investigated the personal protective equipment (PPE) of UK firefighters and found that most firefighters remove contaminated gear inside the fire truck. The frequency of cleaning the gear is related to seniority, length of service, and fire attendance frequency. In addition, storage of the gear poses a potential risk of cross-contamination.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Snigdha, Moonmoon Hiloidhari, Somnath Bandyopadhyay
Summary: This study presents a comparative life cycle assessment of disposable and reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) body coveralls. The results suggest that reusable PPE performs better in all impact categories except water consumption. Sensitivity analysis reveals that replacing conventional electricity with solar energy can provide additional environmental benefits. These findings can inform environmentally conscious choices for medical textile industries, healthcare workers, and policymakers.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ellen Bracquene, Mariana Gaspar Martinez, Eduard Wagner, Florian Wagner, Alexander Boudewijn, Jef Peeters, Joost Duflou
Summary: Increasing the separation of product clusters by plastic type can improve plastic recovery rate and reduce environmental impact. The use of recycled plastics from LHA waste can lower environmental impact and has the potential for enhanced overall environmental performance.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jessica T. Wenclawiak, John E. Weinstein
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase of personal protective equipment (PPE) litter in the environment, including plastic polymers that can degrade over time. A study conducted at Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, quantified the abundance of PPE litter in the area, finding that PPE comprised 2.9% of all plastic litter. Gloves were the most common type of PPE found. This study provides baseline data on pandemic-related PPE litter and highlights the need for further research on the environmental risks associated with PPE litter exposure.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Claire Bailey, Paul Johnson, Josh Moran, Iwona Rosa, Jodi Brookes, Samantha Hall, Brian Crook
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of cough-related interventions on environmental contamination. The study found that placing a hand or elbow in front of the mouth can reduce the spread of cough aerosol, but it cannot completely prevent environmental contamination. Coughing into a sleeved elbow can absorb more aerosol, but there is still a risk of viral transmission to the environment.
Review
Polymer Science
Alireza Saidi, Chantal Gauvin, Safa Ladhari, Phuong Nguyen-Tri
Summary: Smart textile technologies can help address thermal stress issues in workplaces, enhancing wearer comfort and safety to reduce the risk of accidents. By using smart protective equipment, performance and efficiency of workers can be improved.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Dhanya Venkataraman, Elnaz Shabani, Jay H. Park
Summary: This article critically examines the current state of nonwoven PPE fabrics, discussing the manufacturing of fibers and their bonding methods, as well as the integration of each fabric layer into textiles and their use as PPE. It also addresses the challenges of single-use nonwoven PPEs and explores emerging solutions to address sustainability issues with material and processing innovations.
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Yu Zhang, Man Hu, Junwu Wang, Pingchuan Wang, Pengzhi Shi, Wenjie Zhao, Xin Liu, Qing Peng, Bo Meng, Xinmin Feng, Liang Zhang
Summary: COVID-19 has emerged as a global public health threat, and studying the use of PPE and scientific influence is crucial in overcoming the pandemic.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Elham Jafari, Mansoureh Togha, Hossein Kazemizadeh, Samaneh Haghighi, Somayeh Nasergivehchi, Mohammad Saatchi, Shadi Ariyanfar
Summary: This study found that headache after using PPE is common among healthcare workers, with a prevalence rate of 72.4%. N95 mask was the most commonly reported cause of headache (41%), and headache was more common in females. Increased heart rate was significantly associated with headache due to mask use.
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2021)