Quantification of Microplastics and Phthalate Esters in Nasal Lavage Fluid of Hospital Employees after Face Mask Use

IF 3.8 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Pub Date : 2025-01-23 DOI:10.1007/s11270-025-07770-0

Maryam Hazrati Niari, Hassan Ghobadi, Mohammad Reza Aslani

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Abstract

Face masks serve as protective measures against pathogens and environmental pollutants. However, microplastic and phthalate pollutants present in the structure of masks may enter the nasal passages, potentially leading to health issues. In this study, we quantified microplastics and phthalate acid esters in masks used by hospital employees in various departments and in the nasal lavage fluid of these personnel before and after mask use. There were 200 participants, and the number of used masks was 160. The results indicated that the highest levels of microplastics (861.21 MP/mask) and Σ phthalate acid esters (3578.99ng/mL) were found in used masks from the laboratory. The amount of microplastics and phthalate acid esters in both masks and nasal lavage samples in the hospital departments were ranked as Laboratory > Physiotherapy > Emergency > Endoscopy. In nasal lavage samples, the amounts of these two pollutants decreased after mask use compared to the no-mask condition. Among the target phthalate acid esters, DEHP was the most prevalent in all mask and nasal lavage samples. These findings can be used for health risk assessment purposes.

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来源期刊

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

6.90%

发文量

448

审稿时长

2.6 months

期刊介绍： Water, Air, & Soil Pollution is an international, interdisciplinary journal on all aspects of pollution and solutions to pollution in the biosphere. This includes chemical, physical and biological processes affecting flora, fauna, water, air and soil in relation to environmental pollution. Because of its scope, the subject areas are diverse and include all aspects of pollution sources, transport, deposition, accumulation, acid precipitation, atmospheric pollution, metals, aquatic pollution including marine pollution and ground water, waste water, pesticides, soil pollution, sewage, sediment pollution, forestry pollution, effects of pollutants on humans, vegetation, fish, aquatic species, micro-organisms, and animals, environmental and molecular toxicology applied to pollution research, biosensors, global and climate change, ecological implications of pollution and pollution models. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution also publishes manuscripts on novel methods used in the study of environmental pollutants, environmental toxicology, environmental biology, novel environmental engineering related to pollution, biodiversity as influenced by pollution, novel environmental biotechnology as applied to pollution (e.g. bioremediation), environmental modelling and biorestoration of polluted environments. Articles should not be submitted that are of local interest only and do not advance international knowledge in environmental pollution and solutions to pollution. Articles that simply replicate known knowledge or techniques while researching a local pollution problem will normally be rejected without review. Submitted articles must have up-to-date references, employ the correct experimental replication and statistical analysis, where needed and contain a significant contribution to new knowledge. The publishing and editorial team sincerely appreciate your cooperation. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution publishes research papers; review articles; mini-reviews; and book reviews.