ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION DUE TO IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT DURING COVID-19

Personal protective equipment (PPEs) has played a significant role in the prevention of coronavirus transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. A billion personal protective equipment has been produced around the world to reduce the spread of the disease. The strategy of using PPEs had fruitful results by keeping millions of people safe, but, on the other hand, these PPEs have become a new challenge for the environment due to the pollution related to their dispersal. Millions of PPEs have been discarded improperly in different places, like city centres, parks, roads and beaches. The improper disposal of PPEs can have adverse effects on human health and marine organisms, as the PPEs are mainly composed of plastic polymers. As with other plastic debris, PPEs, once in the environment, can be fragmented (due to exposure to UV-radiation, hydro-dynamism, and extreme temperature variation) into microplastics, which can lead to harmful impacts on marine organisms and humans. This thesis aimed to monitor and quantify (i) the plastic pollution related to the littered PPEs along the Sicilian coast of the Strait of Messina, (ii) the degradation rate of face masks, and the related microplastic production under controlled laboratory conditions, and (iii) the toxic effects of microplastics exposure on zebrafish development through a zebrafish embryo toxicity test (Z-FET). Nine beach sites from the Sicilian coast of the Strait of Messina were explored for PPEs collection. 143 PPEs (including face masks and gloves) were collected from the explored beach sites, with the highest percentage of occurrence showed by face masks (64.4%), followed by gloves (35.6%). For the degradation rate analysis, new face masks were exposed to high temperatures, ultraviolet rays, and pH on a shaker machine to replicate the harsh natural environmental conditions. The highest degradation rates were observed after 15, 30 and 60 days of exposure, respectively, for the cloth face masks, surgical masks and FFP2 masks. The fragments were then used for the Z-FET analysis. Z-FET analysis did not show significant differences in zebrafish survival rate, hatching time, or morphology. At the same time, the level of Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) has shown a substantial increase with the indication of increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation levels in exposed zebrafish groups. The outcomes of this study showed that PPEs have contributed to plastic pollution and microplastic production. Furthermore, investigations require more information about the effects of PPEs, degradation factors and adverse effects of degraded microplastics.