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Item type:Publication, Face mask waste generation and management during the COVID-19 pandemic: an overview and the Peruvian case(Elsevier, 2021-09-10)The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has driven massive consumption of personal protective equipment (PPE) worldwide. Single-use face masks are one of the most used PPE to prevent the transmission of the virus. However, mismanagement of such materials threatens the environment with a new form of plastic pollution. Researchers argue that it is necessary to develop and implement innovative ways to manage and recycle PPE in order to reduce their impacts on the environment. In the present work, we have reviewed and discussed the recent development of sustainable face mask alternatives and recycling and repurposing routes under the COVID-19 pandemic context. Moreover, we have conducted estimations of the daily face mask waste generation in Peru, a developing country struggling with a poor solid waste management framework and infrastructure. Unlike previous studies, our equation incorporates the “economically active population” variable in order to provide more precise estimations, while evaluating single-use and reusable scenarios. The scenarios of incorporating reusable face masks significantly reduced the amount of solid waste generated in Peru. In situ evidence shows that face masks are polluting the streets and beaches of Peru, probably driven by mismanagement and poor environmental awareness. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Historical microplastic records in marine sediments: current progress and methodological evaluation(Elsevier, 2021-07-01)Plastic production has increased continuously since its massification in the 1950s. Microplastics (MPs), plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, are contaminants widespread across all environmental compartments, including remote ecosystems. Thus, MPs could serve as geological proxies of the Anthropocene, a proposed geological epoch characterized for the human-derived influence on the environment. MP investigation in sedimentary records requires specific sampling and analytical procedures exclusive to this line of research. Failing to properly conduct one or many of the standardized procedures compromises the veracity of the data obtained. In the present review, we assessed the current advances and notorious results in studies investigating MPs in the sedimentary record, a recent area of research. Also, a method-based diagnosis was conducted by critically analyzing the sampling and dating, MP extraction, polymer identification, and contamination prevention steps. We aimed to provide recommendations to future research based on critical analyses of the current state of the art and to present prospective outlooks regarding MPs as geological markers of modern civilization.