Life cycle assessment of face mask decontamination via atmospheric pressure plasma

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of face masks to prevent transmission of infection has increased. One way to reduce impacts of the production of new masks (including reduction of resource use) is to implement circular economy strategies to allow multiple (re)uses of the face masks. In the present study, the environmental impacts of single use disposable masks in hospital are compared with their potential decontamination and reuse using low temperature plasma (LTP) decontamination process. Environmental impacts of single use of disposable masks are always lower (for every impact category) compared with decontamination and reuse of face masks. Highest impact in the decontamination process is due to helium used for cooling the electrodes, causing more than 95% of the impacts in most of the impact categories. To decrease decontamination impacts, two scenarios were assessed: 1) helium replacement with a) argon, and b) nitrogen, and 2) decreased helium consumption based on a) decreased helium flow, and b) helium recirculation. According to assessed scenarios, to achieve environmental benefits by decontaminating the face masks, the process has to be improved by decreasing helium use more than 95% of the current laboratory level usage. This could be done by applying helium recirculation. However, assessed scenarios may not be applicable as presented in this study.

SINKKO Taija;  ARDENTE Fulvio;  SCACCABAROZZI Diletta;  FUMAGALLI Francesco; 

2023-09-08

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

JRC133242

0959-6526 (online),   

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652623024666?via%3Dihub,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC133242,   

10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.138308 (online),