Need for assessing the inhalation of micro(nano)plastic debris shed from masks, respirators, and home-made face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic

submitted by neomarxist_bullshit from (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

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[–]NodeThis is my flair. There are many like it, but this one is mine. 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

There seems to be, however, an important piece missing in the suite of standards and volumes of research on inhalable environmental contaminants. None of these standards, including the ASTM standards (F1862, F2100, F2101, F2299) and NIOSH regulation (42 CFR 84), which are adopted by the FDA in regulating medical face masks and surgical respirators in the U.S. (FDA, 2020a), regulate respirable debris such as micro(nano)plastics that may be present in these products.

This is mainly a problem for the covid maskers, but also applies to genuine mask applications for airborne contaminants like dust and chemical fumes.

[–]neomarxist_bullshit[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Yeah. Imagine you're a worker in hazardous environment and instead of breathing cancerous dust/whatever you breath in cancerous microplastics.

[–]NodeThis is my flair. There are many like it, but this one is mine. 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

To be fair, the toxin levels from the mask itself are probably a lot lower than the particles or fumes you're avoiding. But still, that's the kind of 'gotcha' you don't want.

[–]neomarxist_bullshit[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Probably. Breathing asbestos might probably be less preferable then some plastics. We'll likely see if there are some adverse affects, if any, in the following years/decades.

[–]neomarxist_bullshit[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

As a person who has otherwise no issue with wearing respirators.... Shit.

[–]IkeConn 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

There is some guy in the government who's job it is to make shit like this up. All day, every day. Just make shit up.

[–]neomarxist_bullshit[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

The authors are from China. Where most of the PPE is made.