Preprint Review Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Wearing Face Masks as a Potential Source for Inhalation and Oral Uptake of Inanimate Toxins: a Scoping Review

Kai Kisielinski
* ORCID logo ,
Stefan Hockertz
,
Oliver Hirsch
ORCID logo ,
Stephan Korupp
,
Bernd Klosterhalfen
,
Andreas Schnepf
ORCID logo ,
Gerald Dyker
Version 1 : Received: 12 May 2023 / Approved: 15 May 2023 / Online: 15 May 2023 (03:23:48 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Kisielinski, K.; Hockertz, S.; Hirsch, O.; Korupp, S.; Klosterhalfen, B.; Schnepf, A.; Dyker, G. Wearing Face Masks as a Potential Source for Inhalation and Oral Uptake of Inanimate Toxins – A Scoping Review. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2024, 275, 115858, doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115858. Kisielinski, K.; Hockertz, S.; Hirsch, O.; Korupp, S.; Klosterhalfen, B.; Schnepf, A.; Dyker, G. Wearing Face Masks as a Potential Source for Inhalation and Oral Uptake of Inanimate Toxins – A Scoping Review. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2024, 275, 115858, doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115858.

Abstract

From 2020 to 2023 many people around the world were forced to wear masks for large proportions of the day based on mandates and laws. We aimed to study the potential of face masks for the content and release of inanimate toxins. A scoping review of 1003 studies was performed (database search in PubMed/MEDLINE, qualitative and quantitative evaluation). Twenty-four studies were included (experimental time 17 min to 15 days) evaluating content and/or release in 631 masks (273 surgical, 228 textile and 130 N95 masks). Most studies (63%) showed alarming results with high micro- and nanoplastics (MPs and NPs) release and exceedances could also be evidenced for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), xylene, acrolein, per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates (including di(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, DEHP) and for Pb, Cd, Co, Cu, Sb and TiO2. Of course, masks filter bacteria, dirt and plastic particles and fibers from the air we breathe and have specific indications, but according to our data they also carry risks. Depending on the application, a risk-benefit analysis is necessary. However, mask mandates during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have been generating an additional source of potentially harmful exposition to toxins at population level with almost zero distance to the airways.

Keywords

surgical mask; N95 mask; toxicity; health risk assessment; microplastic; volatile organic compound (VOC); heavy metal; phthalate; organic compound

Subject

Public Health and Healthcare, Public, Environmental and Occupational Health

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Download PDF

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0
Get PDF Cite Share 0
Bookmark BibSonomy Mendeley Reddit Delicious
×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.