5. The Adverse Impact of Synthetic Microplastics Released from Disposable Face Masks Pollutants on Aquatic Microbiota, Aquatic Species and Humans: A Review

Plastics being ubiquitous and abundant have made the daily life of humans easy, convenient, and comfortable, recoiling from the packaging of food items and reducing food waste to using single-use plastics sustaining public healthCovid-19's emergence has resulted in an enormous quantity of abandoned face masks, gloves, and safety equipment on a global scale. As plastics are known not to degrade, they fragment and form small particles of various shape and sizes known as synthetic microplastics (1–5 mm) and enter the aquatic environment. The monthly consumption of surgical masks exceeded more than 120 billion and medical gloves were 60 billion by the end of 2020. Currently, the globe generates roughly 400 million tonnes of plastic garbage annually, with 200 million tonnes of wastes already gathered in the aquatic system and this figure is anticipated to almost treble by the end of 2040. The abundance of microplastics on the bodies of aquatic fauna, micro-biota by ingestion deciphers some adverse effects on their growth, metabolism and even enter into the food chain of humans causing reproductive and developmental toxicity, allergies, carcinogenicity, immune toxicity, respiratory diseases, inflammation, oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and infections. Several countries have adopted several methods for reducing plastic wastes but still, the concerns about microplastics are on an alarming level and need an immediate solution. This review highlights a comprehensive analysis of key research linkages between the persistence of synthetic microplastics released from medical wastes in the marine bionetwork, their adverse effects on aquatic biota, microbiota, and humans, resolving with certain feasible remediation measures to help combat microplastics pollution in the aquatic ecosystem.