Release study of microplastic fibres and heavy metals from disposable surgical face masks in aqueous medium: the effect of physio-chemical factors and shear forces

HA. At higher IS and HA concentrations, the release of microplastic fibres was lower compared to that at lower concentrations. This study also emphasises the impact of varying shear stress levels on the release dynamics of fibres and co-contaminants like heavy metals (HMs) from disposable surgical facemasks over different time intervals. Furthermore, the release pattern of the microplastic fibres was examined in various natural water systems, including lakes and seawater. Future studies will extend this work to longer exposure durations to better capture the long-term release dynamics of microplastic fibres from masks.