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Lowe AT, Maki A, Figueroa C, Venugopal PD. Place-based estimates of cigarette butt litter raise environmental justice concerns in the United States. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0308930. [PMID: 39146265 PMCID: PMC11326580 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Littering of cigarette butts is a major environmental challenge. In 2022, ~124 billion cigarette butts were littered in the United States. This litter may pose an environmental justice concern by disproportionately affecting human and environmental health in communities of color or communities of low socioeconomic status. However, the lack of data on the distribution and magnitude of cigarette butt littering prevents an environmental justice analysis and limits the ability to tackle this environmental challenge. We conducted an environmental justice assessment of tobacco product waste, specifically cigarette butts, through spatially-explicit, place-based estimates across the contiguous U.S. We built a bottom-up model by synthesizing census tract-level population and smoking prevalence, state-level cigarette consumption, and published littering data to assess the spatial pattern of cigarette consumption and littering, and its implications for environmental injustice in >71,600 U.S. census tracts. Further, we compared the model output to urbanicity (rural-urban commuting area) and Social-Environmental Risk (SER; CDC Environmental Justice Index). Cigarette butt density was not uniformly distributed across the U.S. and ranged from 0-45.5 butts/m2, with an area-weighted average of 0.019 ± 0.0005 butts/m2. Cigarette butt density was 96 times higher in metropolitan vs. rural areas. Cigarette butt density increased significantly with SER, with 5.6 times more littered cigarette butts, and a steeper response to population density, in census tracts with the highest SER vs. the lowest SER. These results demonstrate the relative influences of location, smoking prevalence, and population density, and show that cigarette butt littering is a potential environmental justice concern in the U.S. This study provides information that may help devise targeted strategies to reduce cigarette butt pollution and prevent disproportionate impacts. The spatial data layer with place-based cigarette consumption and butt density is a tool that can support municipal, state, and federal level policy work and future studies on associations among cigarette butt pollution and environmental health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T Lowe
- Division of Nonclinical Science, Center for Tobacco Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Alexander Maki
- Division of Population Health Science, Center for Tobacco Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Carla Figueroa
- Division of Nonclinical Science, Center for Tobacco Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - P Dilip Venugopal
- Division of Nonclinical Science, Center for Tobacco Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
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2
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Lian H, Zhu L, Li M, Feng S, Gao F, Zhang X, Zhang F, Xi Y, Xiang X. Emerging threat of marine microplastics: Cigarette butt contamination on Yellow Sea beaches and the potential toxicity risks to rotifer growth and reproduction. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 478:135534. [PMID: 39151359 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Cigarette butts have become one of the most common and persistent forms of debris in marine coastal areas, where they pose significant toxicity risks. This study investigated cigarette butt pollution along beaches of the Yellow Sea and used laboratory experiments to assess the toxicity of their leachate and fibers on the euryhaline rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. A pollution index confirmed pollution by this debris across all eight beaches surveyed, where the density of cigarette butts averaged 0.23 butts/m2. In controlled laboratory experiments, both the fibers and leachates from cigarette butts exhibited negative impacts on the development, reproduction, and population growth of rotifers. Unique abnormalities observed under different exposure treatments indicated toxicity specific to certain chemicals and particles. Continuous exposure to cigarette butts initially reduced rotifer fecundity, but this effect diminished over successive generations. However, the exposure induced transgenerational reproductive toxicity in the rotifers. Adaptive responses in rotifers after repeated exposure led to relative reduction in reproductive inhibition in the F3 and F4 generations. Furthermore, rotifers were capable of ingesting and accumulating cigarette butts, and maternal transfer emerged as an alternative pathway for uptake of this material in the offspring. These results increase our understanding of the ecological risks posed by cigarette butts in aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hairong Lian
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China
| | - Lingyun Zhu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China
| | - Meng Li
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China
| | - Sen Feng
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China
| | - Fan Gao
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China
| | - Yilong Xi
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-Founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Wuhu 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Xianling Xiang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui Province 241002, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-Founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, Wuhu 241000, Anhui, China.
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Mohammadi H, Zardosht Z, Moein H, Hassani G. The effect of climatic variables and techno-structural factors on the water pollution caused by nicotine leakage from littered cigarette butts. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:43704-43711. [PMID: 38907063 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34049-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Nicotine is one of the main pollutants in cigarette smoke that trapped in the filter. Nicotine leakage from cigarette butts is one of the concerns associated with this hazardous waste. In this study, the concentration of nicotine leaked from cigarette butts into the urban environment was investigated under the influence of three parameters including rainfall, density, and the durability of the littered cigarette butt. The leakage of nicotine into the environment was estimated in six scenarios based on the difference in the durability of cigarette butts in the urban environment and the humidity ratio. The results showed that the density of littered cigarette butts was 0.0019-0.294 number/m2. The density of littered cigarette butts in residential land-use was 52.38% lower than commercial land-use. Nicotine leakage from cigarette butts in commercial, residential, and recreational land-uses was 1.1, 0.484, and .0065 mg/m2, respectively. In the studied scenarios, in the best and worst case, 335,070 and 481,950 gr/year of nicotine will leak from the cigarette butt into the water resources. Considering that cigarette butts are a serious source of toxins including nicotine to the environment, control measures are necessary to reduce its density in the urban environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Mohammadi
- Department of Environmental Health, Torbat Jam Faculty of Medical Sciences, Torbat Jam, Iran
| | - Zahra Zardosht
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Hossein Moein
- Department of Environmental Health, Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Ghasem Hassani
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
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Ertaş A, Gökçe B, Tüney İ. Risk assessment of cigarette butts and microplastic pollution in a drinking and irrigation water basin of West Anatolia, Türkiye. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:676. [PMID: 38951278 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12814-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Cigarette butts (CBs) and Microplastics (MPs) have serious harmful effects on the environment and living organisms despite their small size. This research aims to investigate the abundance and pollution status of CBs and MPs in Tahtalı Dam Basin (West Anatolia, Türkiye) which is the most important drinking and irrigation water resources. Clean Environment Index (CEI) and Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI) were used to determine pollution degree of the basin. The total number of CBs were 1.478 items, the total number of MPs were 477 items/m2 in the basin. As a result of this study, MP particles weren't found in Balaban Stream. Highest number of MP particles observed in 100-250 μm (45%) size class. The most abundant MP type and colour were, fragment (54%) and white (42%), respectively. Polyethylene terephthalate (50%) was the most abundant type of polymer according to the ATR- FTIR analysis. As a result of the CEI and CBPI, the upstream stations of the stream were classified as "clean" status, while downstream sampling points of the stream and Balaban Lake coasts were classified as "extremely dirty" status. The calculated volumes of MP particulates from mining facility, agricultural and recreational activities indicate that anthropogenic factors are the most important MP source in the Tahtalı Dam Basin. This study is the first study about MP and CB pollution of the freshwater ecosystems in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alperen Ertaş
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ege University, 35100, Bornova, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Burak Gökçe
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ege University, 35100, Bornova, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - İnci Tüney
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ege University, 35100, Bornova, İzmir, Türkiye.
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Morovati M, Parsa S, Panahande M, Hossaini Motlagh A, Parseh I. Study of the impact of structural factors and cleaning efficiency in reducing hazardous litter density and its related pollution in urban environment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13934. [PMID: 38886518 PMCID: PMC11183163 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64645-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cigarette filter is the most common hazardous litter that contains many pollutants including PAHs. The durability of this litter in the urban environment has an important effect on the rate of pollutant leakage. In this study, the leakage rate of PAHs from the littered cigarette filters was estimated by considering the affecting parameters on their durability in the urban environment. The results showed that the density of littered cigarette filters in the studied locations was 0.00048-0.13563 g/m2. The maximum spatial variation of the littered cigarette filter was 225 times. The average leakage of the total studied PAHs was estimated to be 2.048 µg/10 m2. The impact of structural factors and efficiency of urban cleaning in the estimated leakage was at most 2.4 times. It is necessary to change the behavior of citizens in littering the cigarette filter, considering its durability in the urban environment, to reduce the environmental and health consequences caused by the leakage of PAHs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Morovati
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran
| | - Sheida Parsa
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, California State University, Northridge, USA
| | - Maryam Panahande
- Environmental Research Institute, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Rasht, Iran.
| | - Amin Hossaini Motlagh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
| | - Iman Parseh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
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de Deus BCT, Costa TC, Altomari LN, Brovini EM, de Brito PSD, Cardoso SJ. Coastal plastic pollution: A global perspective. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116478. [PMID: 38735173 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems have ecological importance worldwide and require control and prevention measures to mitigate human pollution. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review to provide a comprehensive overview of the global issue of coastal plastic pollution. 689 articles were eligible for qualitative synthesis and 31 were considered for quantitative analysis. There was an exponential increase in articles addressing coastal plastic pollution over the past 50 years. Studies were mainly carried out on beaches, and plastic bottles were the most found item, followed by cigarette butts. Polyethylene was the predominant plastic polymer, and white microplastic fragments stood out. China published most articles on the topic and Brazil had the highest number of sites sampled. Meta-analysis had significant effect sizes based on the reported data. These findings carry significant implications for environmental policies, waste management practices, and targeted awareness campaigns aimed at mitigating plastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Corrêa Thomé de Deus
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, 36036-900, São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thaiane Cantarino Costa
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, 36036-900, São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Leslie Nascimento Altomari
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, 36036-900, São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Emília Marques Brovini
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sérgio Duque de Brito
- VALORIZA Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Campus Politécnico, 10, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portalegre, Portugal
| | - Simone Jaqueline Cardoso
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, 36036-900, São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, 36036-900, São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Howlader M, Selim A, Shohan MH, Shuvo SNA, Al-Humaidi JY, Islam MM, Shaibur MR, Althomali RH, Akter N, Afrin S, Sultana T, Singha SK, Betto ZS, Rahman MM. Exploring cigarette butts pollution in Saint Martin Island: A marine protected area. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116439. [PMID: 38718549 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Saint Martin Island (SMI), the only coral island in Bangladesh, is located in the Bay of Bengal and has been identified as a marine protected area (MPA). Littering cigarette butts (CBs) waste in an ecologically sensitive environment can have numerous adverse effects. The purpose of this research is to investigate the abundance and density of CBs in SMI and to assess the pollution status using the Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI). This study is conducted based on the visual survey method in the three types of land use zones of SMI. During the peak season, the investigation was carried out from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in December 2023. A total of 4481 CBs item were counted, and the density ranged from 0.37 to 1.76 m-2 with an average value of 0.99 m-2 across 12 sampling campaigns. The highest density was observed at service zones, and the fishing zones had the lowest density. The calculated CBPI values revealed that 75 % of the sampling stations were in the "severe pollution" while 25 % were classified as "high pollution" status, underscoring the prevalence of hazardous CBs across most areas of SMI. To tackle these issues requires regulatory measures, public awareness initiatives, and community involvement. Effective waste management and eco-friendly product promotion can help reduce CBs pollution risks in marine protected islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masum Howlader
- Environment and Resource Analysis Center Ltd., Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh.
| | - Abu Selim
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu 3226, Nepal
| | - Mobin Hossain Shohan
- Department of Aquaculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh
| | | | - Jehan Y Al-Humaidi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
| | | | - Molla Rahman Shaibur
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh
| | - Raed H Althomali
- Department of Chemistry, College of Art and Science, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Wadi Al-Dawasir 11991, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nurunnahar Akter
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh
| | | | - Tania Sultana
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 411008, India
| | - Santush Kumar Singha
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, American International University Bangladesh, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Zaren Subah Betto
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammed M Rahman
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
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Gohain MB, Karki S, Ingole PG. Cellulose acetate, a source from discarded cigarette butts for the development of mixed matrix loose nanofiltration membranes for selective separation. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 271:132197. [PMID: 38821793 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
This study presents an environmentally friendly method for extracting cellulose acetate (CA) from discarded cigarette filters, which is then utilized in the fabrication of cellulose-based membranes designed for high flux and rejection rates. CA membranes are likeable to separate dyes and ions, but their separation efficiency is exposed when the contaminant concentration is very low. So, we have integrated graphene oxide (GO) and carboxylated titanium dioxide (COOH-TiO2) in CA to develop mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and studied them against dyes and most used salts. The CA has been extracted from these butts and added GO and COOH-TiO2 nanoparticles to develop MMMs. The present work administers the effective separation of five dyes (methyl orange, methyl violet, methylene blue, cresol red, and malachite green) and salts (NaCl and Na2SO4) along with the high efficiency of water flux by prepared CA membranes. The prepared membranes rejected up to 94.94 % methyl violet, 91.28 % methyl orange, 88.28 % methylene blue, 89.91 % cresol red, and 91.70 % malachite green dye. Along with the dyes, the membranes showed ∼40.40 % and ∼ 42.97 % rejection of NaCl and Na2SO4 salts, respectively. Additionally, these membranes have tensile strength up to 1.54 MPa. Various characterization techniques were performed on all prepared CA membranes to comprehend their behaviour. The antibacterial activity of MMMs was investigated using the Muller-Hinton-Disk diffusion method against the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli). We believe the present work is an approach to utilizing waste materials into valuable products for environmental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moucham Borpatra Gohain
- Chemical Engineering Group, Engineering Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, Assam 785006, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Sachin Karki
- Chemical Engineering Group, Engineering Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, Assam 785006, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Pravin G Ingole
- Chemical Engineering Group, Engineering Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, Assam 785006, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India.
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Ghasemi M, Feyzi Kamareh T, Morovati M, Kazembeigi F, Alinejad N, Moein H, Hassani G. The fate of leaked heavy metals in the urban environment under different persistence and precipitation scenarios. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8343. [PMID: 38594514 PMCID: PMC11004182 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59057-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The use of tobacco will lead to the littering of a large number of filters, and the leakage of pollutants from them into the urban environment is a serious concern. The aim of this study was to analyze the leakage of heavy metals from filter and estimate the annual concentration of pollution leakage in different waste routes and different climatic conditions. The results showed that the highest and lowest density of filter in the studied urban environment were 0.51 and 0.01 number/m2, respectively. According to the estimated annual production of 306 million cigarette butts in the studied area, the leakage of the studied metals was estimated to be 401 g. The share of copper, chromium, and cadmium from the total leakage was 67%, 8.3%, and 1.88%, respectively. The leakage of studied metals in rainy conditions was 2.86 times more than sunny conditions. In different scenarios, the minimum and maximum annual leakage of metals were estimated 23,043 and 350,419 mg/year, respectively. Filters are a little but important source of heavy metal emission into the urban environment, the amount of pollution from which is affected by the consumers' behavior and the efficiency of the urban cleaning system. Education on the correct disposal of filters and increasing the efficiency of the urban cleaning system will lead to a reduction in pollution caused by tobacco consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrdad Ghasemi
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Touran Feyzi Kamareh
- Faculty of Forest Science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Maryam Morovati
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran
| | - Farogh Kazembeigi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Navid Alinejad
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Hossein Moein
- Department of Environmental Health, Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
| | - Ghasem Hassani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
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Delavari Heravi M, Haddadi M, Karami Nejad F, Izadi Yazdanabadi Z, Haghighat GA. A comparative study of indexes used for litter pollution assessment in urban and public environments. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24954. [PMID: 38317978 PMCID: PMC10838791 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Litter is a common pollution in the urban environment and public places such as beaches, which has serious health and economic consequences. Several indexes are used to interpret the pollution status caused by litter, which have different limitations and strengths. In this review, the efficiency and characteristics of different indexes were compared. For this purpose, related articles were searched in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Knowledge, and after screening, 21 articles were selected. The main questions of this study included factors affecting the interpretation of pollution in different indexes and the criteria considered in each index. The results showed that the existing indexes based on the type of litter include two categories of comprehensive indexes such as Clean Environment Index and specific indexes such as Cigarette Butt Pollution Index. Also, the index can be divided into two categories in terms of spatial application, including general indexes such as Environmental Status and specific indexes such as Clean Coast Index. An important difference in the indexes is the importance of the impact of the pollution potential of different litter in the assessment of the status in indexes such as Clean Environment Index and Environmental Status, while indexes such as Clean Coast Index evaluate the status based only on the density of litter. According to the capabilities of each of the indexes, it is necessary to pay attention to the local needs as well as the characteristics of each index in using in urban management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mahdieh Haddadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Karami Nejad
- Environmental Health Engineering Expert, Boyer Ahmad City Health Center , Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | | | - Gholam Ali Haghighat
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
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11
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Mghili B, Lamine I, Bouzekry A, Gunasekaran K, Aksissou M. Cigarette butt pollution in popular beaches of Morocco: Abundance, distribution, and mitigation measures. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 195:115530. [PMID: 37717497 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Cigarette butts pose a significant challenge in managing solid litter, with an estimated 4.5 trillion of them being discarded into the environment annually. This study investigated the pollution of eleven beaches along the Moroccan Mediterranean by cigarette butts compared to other types of marine litter between 2018 and 2023. Sampling was conducted using the visual survey technique according to a standardized protocol. A total of 50, 575 items were collected with cigarette butts (14.62 %) and plastic caps/lids drinks (10.93 %) being the most common. Our survey of eleven beaches revealed 7395 cigarette butts, giving an average density of 0.06/m2 comparable to other countries in the Mediterranean. The analysis of the results shows significant differences in the abundance cigarette butts according to the beach typology, seasonality, sediment type, and number of beach users. Moreover, the study discovered a decrease in beach pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, resulting in less litter collected compared to pre- and post-pandemic periods. The Cigarette Butt Pollution Index was categorized as very low pollution in M'diq and Kaa Asrass, low pollution in Ksar Sghir, Fnideq, Amsa, Oued Laou, significant pollution in Martil and Nador and sever pollution in Saidia and Sababia. The CBPI was higher during summer and winter, significantly associated with the density levels of beach users. The study recommends immediate action by the local administration to prevent the potential pollution of groundwater and sand by toxic substances leached from cigarette butts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Mghili
- LESCB, URL-CNRST N° 18, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Faculty of Sciences, Tetouan, Morocco.
| | - Imane Lamine
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Ecosystems, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, BP 8106, Agadir, Morocco; Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Technical Health, Errachidia
| | - Assia Bouzekry
- LESCB, URL-CNRST N° 18, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Faculty of Sciences, Tetouan, Morocco
| | - Kannan Gunasekaran
- Centre for Aquaculture, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600019, India
| | - Mustapha Aksissou
- LESCB, URL-CNRST N° 18, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Faculty of Sciences, Tetouan, Morocco
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12
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Díaz-Mendoza C, Arias Ordiales P, Bustos ML, Cervantes O, Palacios-Moreno M, Vera San-Martin T, Kloc Lopes G, Vallejo M, Mouthon-Bello J, Gutiérrez L. Abundance and distribution of cigarette butts on the sand of five touristic beaches in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 194:115306. [PMID: 37506493 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Cigarette butts (CB) and cigarette butt fibers (CBF) are highly abundant and frequent residues on beach sand. Also, they are hazardous waste due to their significant toxicity and potential risk to the ecosystems' biota and the health of beach tourists. This study aimed to determine the abundance and density of CB and CBF found on the active, rest, and service zones of five pilot beaches in Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico. The methodology involved collecting CB and CBF in 500 m2 transects of urban tourist beaches using a citizen science-adapted methodology between June 2021 and May 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The abundance and density of CB and CBF, and the Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI) were calculated. The highest proportion of CB was found in service and rest areas. Bocagrande (CO) reported the highest generation of CB and CBF and a severe CBPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Díaz-Mendoza
- Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, Universidad de Cartagena, Colombia.
| | | | | | - Omar Cervantes
- Faculty of Oceanography of the Universidad de Colima campus Manzanillo, Mexico
| | | | | | - Gisela Kloc Lopes
- Faculty of Engineering of the Universidade Veiga de Almeida (UVA), Cabo Frio, Brazil
| | | | | | - Leonardo Gutiérrez
- Faculty of the Sea and Environment, Universidad Del Pacífico, Ecuador; Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium
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13
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Felipe da Silva N, Christina Barbosa de Araújo M, Santos Silva-Cavalcanti J. Spatio-temporal distribution of cigarette butt contamination in urban beaches with varying levels of use. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 168:179-188. [PMID: 37302176 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2023.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study assessed the extent of cigarette butt contamination on two urban beaches in Recife-PE (Pernambuco State, Brazil) with varying levels of use. The study considered degradation levels and evaluated whether the brands varied by time, space, and beaches use. Ten transects (1.5 m wide) and spaced 10 m apart, were delimited on the beaches investigated. Twelve collections were made between May 2021 and January 2022, and the collected cigarette butts were evaluated based on degradation level, mass, size, and brand. In total, 10,275 cigarette butts were collected on both beaches, with P1 accounting for 96.91% of the found cigarette butts. The density of cigarette butts on the beaches was directly proportional to the level of use, with 8.85 butts/m2 in P1 and 1.05 butts/m2 in P2. Eighteen brands were identified, with brand (A) being the most popular regardless of the area. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found when evaluating the amount of butts/m2; Sundays with high precipitation presented reduced values of butts; more occupied areas presented transects with higher amounts; abundance in the summer; morphometry with higher values recorded in newly discarded butts; predominance of more degraded butts and brand diversity. Despite the difference in the number of butts/m2 between the areas, it was possible to identify that their abundance is very expressive, and that the monitored beaches present a high exposure to the contaminant.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jacqueline Santos Silva-Cavalcanti
- Program in Biodiversity, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil; Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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14
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Darabi K, Hayati R, Morovati M, Alinejad N, Hassani G. Impact of Covid-19 pandemic lockdown on the urban litter and clean environment index. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9099. [PMID: 37277411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35554-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Changing the level of pollution in the urban environment is one of the consequences of Covid-19. Litter are one of the most important urban pollutants affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In this research, the pollution level of urban areas during the Covid-19 pandemic was investigated by studying the urban environment. To this end, the protocol of observation and counting was used and litter were studied in two groups including common litter and Covid-19 related litter in Yasuj, Iran. The results were interpreted based on the clean environment index (CEI). The time of observation was selected based on the peak of the disease and the decline in the incidence rate. The results showed that on average, at the peak of the disease, the density of the litter was reduced by 19% compared to the low lockdown related to Covid-19. The CEI on average was 4.76 at the peak of the disease that was interpreted in the clean status, while the CEI on average was 5.94 at the low lockdown related to Covid-19 so interpreted in the moderate status. Among urban land uses, recreational areas with a difference of more than 60% showed the greatest impact caused by Covid-19, while in commercial areas this difference was less than 3%. The effect of Covid-19 related litter on the calculated index was 73% in the worst case and 0.8% in the lowest case. Although Covid-19 decreased the number of litter in urban areas, the emergence of Covid-19 lockdown related litter was a cause for concern and led to increasing the CEI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadijeh Darabi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ramin Hayati
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Maryam Morovati
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran
| | - Navid Alinejad
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Ghasem Hassani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
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15
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Fadili HE, Ali MB, Mahi ME, Khatib N, Lotfi EM, Labjar N, Ibn-ElHaj S, Khabbazi A. Determination of properties and environmental impact due to the inclusion of cigarette fibers in mortar: a new solution to mitigate the CB pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:58346-58361. [PMID: 36977883 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26491-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Cigarette butts generated are one of the major sources of total solid waste production and lead to environmental issues. This article has the objective of evaluating the effects of cellulose acetate microfibers (CAFs) sourced from discarded cigarette filters (CFs) as fiber reinforcement on the physico-mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of cementitious materials. To do so, mortar samples were prepared using different incorporated quantities of fibers (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 5% compared to the quantity of sand added to the mixture) and subjected to different tests to characterize the influence of CAFs on the microstructure of elaborated materials, considering the changes in workability time, compressive strength, flexural strength, density, water absorption, and microstructural analysis. Furthermore, the life cycle assessment (LCA) of mortar mixes in terms of CO2 emissions is made. The results revealed that the increasing percentages of CAFs reduced the dry density and compressive strength, by approximately 1.62-51% and 37-69.64%, respectively, and a notable enhancement of insulation characteristics by about 5-47.5% was achieved. Microstructure analysis confirmed the experimental investigation and revealed that adding more than 1% of fibers resulted in a significantly low unit weight with greater entrapped air content. The studies prove the possibility of recycling cigarette butts for insulating cementitious matrix. In addition, applying mortar containing acetate cellulose fibers is recognized as a more environmentally friendly mixture in terms of reducing CO2 emissions and could participate significantly in the achievement of SDGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza El Fadili
- Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modeling, Materials, Nanomaterials, Water and Environment, Materials for Environment Team, ENSAM, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.
| | - Mohammed Ben Ali
- Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modeling, Materials, Nanomaterials, Water and Environment, Materials for Environment Team, ENSAM, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Mohammed El Mahi
- Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modeling, Materials, Nanomaterials, Water and Environment, Materials for Environment Team, ENSAM, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Nabil Khatib
- Faculty of Science, Laboratory of Metrology and Information Processing, Ibn Zohr University, B.P. 8106, Agadir, Morocco
| | - El Mostapha Lotfi
- Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modeling, Materials, Nanomaterials, Water and Environment, Materials for Environment Team, ENSAM, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Najoua Labjar
- Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modeling, Materials, Nanomaterials, Water and Environment, Materials for Environment Team, ENSAM, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Sara Ibn-ElHaj
- EMDD_CERNE2D, Mohammed V University in Rabat, EST Salé, 227 Avenue Prince Héritier, Salé, Morocco
| | - Abdelhamid Khabbazi
- EMDD_CERNE2D, Mohammed V University in Rabat, EST Salé, 227 Avenue Prince Héritier, Salé, Morocco
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16
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Kim Y, Cho SH, Lee S, Jung S, Chen WH, Kwon EE. Environmental benefits from the use of CO 2 in the thermal disposal of cigarette butts. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 220:115217. [PMID: 36608762 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
As the global consumption of cigarettes has increased, the massive generation of cigarette butts (CBs) has led to critical environmental and health problems. Landfilling or incineration of CBs has been conventionally carried out, but such disposal protocols have suffered from the potential risks of the unwanted/uncontrolled release of leachates, carcinogens, and toxic chemicals into all environmental media. Thus, this study focuses on developing an environmentally dependable method for CB disposal. Littered CBs from filtered/electronic cigarettes were valorized into syngas (H2/CO). To seek a greener approach for the valorization of CBs, CO2 was intentionally considered as a reaction intermediate. Prior to multiple pyrolysis studies, the toxic chemicals in the CBs were qualitatively determined. This study experimentally proved that the toxic chemicals in CBs were detoxified/valorized into syngas. Furthermore, this work demonstrated that CO2 was effective in thermally destroying toxic chemicals in CBs via a gas-phase reaction. The reaction features and CO2 synergistically enhance syngas production. With the use of a supported Ni catalyst and CO2, syngas production from the catalytic pyrolysis of CBs was greatly enhanced (approximately 4 times). Finally, the gas-phase reaction by CO2 was reliably maintained owing to the synergistic mechanistic/reaction feature of CO2 for coke formation prevention on the catalyst surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youkwan Kim
- Department of Earth Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Heon Cho
- Department of Earth Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyoon Lee
- Department of Earth Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungyup Jung
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Wei-Hsin Chen
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan; Research Center for Smart Sustainable Circular Economy, Tunghai University, Taichung, 407, Taiwan; Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung, 411, Taiwan
| | - Eilhann E Kwon
- Department of Earth Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
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17
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Farzadkia M, Alinejad N, Ghasemi A, Rezaei Kalantary R, Esrafili A, Torkashvand J. Clean environment index: A new approach for litter assessment. WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTES AND PUBLIC CLEANSING ASSOCIATION, ISWA 2023; 41:368-375. [PMID: 35959868 PMCID: PMC9925890 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x221117093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Littered waste is one of the ubiquitous problems in urban environments. In this study, urban environmental pollution was evaluated for the first time using a new developed index. The findings indicated that cigarette butts with an average 58% are the largest share in the composition of littered waste. In addition, the numbers of littered wastes throughout the study area had a spatial variation. According to clean environment index (CEI), the entire study area was found to be in a moderate status. However, 40% of the study areas were classified in a dirty and extremely dirty status. Comparison of the studied urban land-uses showed that residential land use with CEI equal to 3.38 is interpreted in the clean status, while commercial land use with CEI equal to 15.05 can be classified in the dirty status. The application of CEI has a good capability to assess littered waste; this index can be employed to evaluate the pollution of urban sidewalks and other environments such as beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Farzadkia
- Research Center for Environmental
Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health
Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,
Iran
| | - Navid Alinejad
- Department of Public Health, Fasa
University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Ghasemi
- Department of Public Health, Fasa
University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Roshanak Rezaei Kalantary
- Research Center for Environmental
Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health
Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,
Iran
| | - Ali Esrafili
- Research Center for Environmental
Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health
Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,
Iran
| | - Javad Torkashvand
- Research Center for Environmental
Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health
Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,
Iran
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18
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Spatial and temporal variation of CBPI and leakage of heavy metals from cigarette butts into the urban environment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1424. [PMID: 36697425 PMCID: PMC9876916 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28340-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
More than 5 trillion cigarettes are produced in the world every year. This hazardous waste is one of the most important litter in the environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the density and dispersion of cigarette butts in the urban environment and to estimate the leakage of pollution from it to the environment. For this purpose, the cigarette butt pollution index was used in 14 locations. Observations were made during a year and once a month for each location. The study of the locations was done with the same conditions on weekend and working days. The amount of heavy metal leakage was estimated based on the average weight of cigarette butts and the ratio of metal leakage in different weather conditions. The results showed that the annual average of index for the studied locations was 1.36 (SD 0.11) to 10.6 (SD 1.23). Based on this, 28.5% of the locations were in the low pollution status and 42.8% were in the significant pollution status and worse. On average, the index on weekend decreased by 32.3 percent in all locations, and the average index of the studied locations in spring and summer was 26.2 percent higher than in autumn and winter. The average leakage of heavy metals including chromium, cadmium, zinc, lead, copper, and nickel from littered cigarette butts in commercial, residential, and recreational areas was estimated to be 0.27, 0.079, and 0.17 µg per square meter, respectively. Cigarette butt is one of the most abundant litter in the studied area, which is the source of many pollutants, including heavy metals. This hazardous waste is a serious threat to the urban environment.
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19
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Conradi M, Sánchez-Moyano JE. Toward a sustainable circular economy for cigarette butts, the most common waste worldwide on the coast. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 847:157634. [PMID: 35905959 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The circular economy is based on the maximum use of resources by reducing, reusing, and recycling the elements used. Currently, the items littered most frequently in the world are cigarettes butts (CB) as these debris are freely disseminated in the marine habitat, they are generally difficult to collect and very complex to recycle. Litter CB is a great social problem that generates excessive economic costs and serious environmental problems. CB is also not biodegradable and highly toxic to marine organisms and presents a distinctive mixture of physical and chemical contamination. However, little research has been done on the management and recycling of this dangerous waste. Several proposals have been made to incorporate this waste into high-volume articles of direct production or recycling, but collection logistics are lacking since the current system is inefficient, in addition to the poor environmental behaviour of citizens. This work presents a current synthesis of the CB problem from all its possible aspects in order to have a global vision of the life cycle of the CB, indicating both the known and the gaps in the knowledge of each of them, and intends to give a general outline of the steps to follow to try to end such a worrying problem at the global level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Conradi
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Sevilla, Av. Reina Mercedes 6, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - J Emilio Sánchez-Moyano
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Sevilla, Av. Reina Mercedes 6, 41012 Sevilla, Spain.
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20
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Ribeiro VV, Lopes TC, Amaral Dos Santos Pinto M, Póvoa AA, Corrêa VR, De-la-Torre GE, Dobaradaran S, Green DS, Szklo AS, Castro ÍB. Cigarette butts in two urban areas from Brazil: Links among environmental impacts, demography and market. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 213:113730. [PMID: 35732200 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental impacts are currently linked to smoking cigarette behavior, as cigarette butts (CBs) represent the most common litter item in natural areas. Despite this, even the best ranked Brazilian cities, in terms of urban cleaning, have no information about urban littered CBs. Thus, CBs were monitored in Santos and Niterói cities, aiming to assess contamination, Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI) and the illegal market size. CBs were collected in 36 walkways considering different land usage types and urban density levels. The CBPI was calculated, and brands were used to identify the size of the illegal market. CBs contamination in Santos (0.25 CBs/m2) was three times higher than Niterói (0.08 CBs/m2) and their occurrence and distribution presented no relationship with land usage types and urban population densities levels. CBPI = 17.6 was severe and the highest so far reported. A total of 28 cigarette brands were found both studied cities. Further, illegal cigarette consumption in Santos and Niteroi was estimated, based on brands of collected CBs, at 25.2% and 36.8%, respectively. Such data may be valuable for implementation of logistic reverse actions seeking to environmentally sustainable and socially resilient cities. Cigarette consumption threatens human life and the environment, and tobacco companies should be accountable for the pollution they generate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alain Alves Póvoa
- Instituto de Geociências, Programa de Pós Graduação em Dinâmica Dos Oceanos e da Terra, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil
| | - Victor Rocha Corrêa
- Departamento de Ciências, Faculdade de Formação de Professores, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Enrique De-la-Torre
- Grupo de Investigación de Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Sociedad, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Peru
| | - Sina Dobaradaran
- Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry and Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, Germany
| | - Dannielle Senga Green
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - André Salem Szklo
- Divisão de Pesquisa Populacional, Instituto Nacional Do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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21
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Ghasemi A, Golbini Mofrad MM, Parseh I, Hassani G, Mohammadi H, Hayati R, Alinejad N. Cigarette butts as a super challenge in solid waste management: a review of current knowledge. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:51269-51280. [PMID: 35612701 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20893-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Filtered cigarette is the most common type of tobacco used and cigarette butt is the most important environmental consequence of smoking. This study aimed to investigate the cigarette butt management and identify future needs to improve the current situation. The results showed that cigarette butts are the most abundant and widespread hazardous waste in the world. The current form of cigarette butt management has inferior performance that faced waste management systems with serious challenges. The results showed that reducing the littering rate and recycling are known as basic strategies in the management of this hazardous waste. Future studies should focus on reducing cigarette butt pollution and the amount of pollutant leakage from them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afsaneh Ghasemi
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Golbini Mofrad
- Environmental Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial of Non-Communicable Disease Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Iman Parseh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Ghassem Hassani
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | | | - Ramin Hayati
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran.
| | - Navid Alinejad
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
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22
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Al-Enizi AM. Waste cigarette butt-derived B, N doped bifunctional hierarchical mesoporous carbon for supercapacitor and oxygen reduction reaction. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.128775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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23
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Yousefi Nasab A, Oskoei V, Rezanasab M, Alinejad N, Hosseinzadeh A, Kashi G. Cigarette butt littering consequences: a study of pollution rate on beaches and urban environments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:45396-45403. [PMID: 35143006 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19155-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cigarette butts are hazardous wastes that are not properly discarded by most smokers. They are one of the most abundant litters in the environment and a threat to various organisms because they leak numerous pollutants. This study aimed to assess the distribution of cigarette butts in a coastal city south of the Caspian Sea in Mazandaran Province, Iran. Observations were performed using the visual survey technique based on standardized protocol. The results showed 11,261 littered cigarette butts in 15 studied urban areas ( an average of 0.306 units per square meter). Also, the average density of littered cigarette butts on the studied beaches was 0.106 per square meter. The littered cigarette butts had significant spatial variation, and the number of counts was 135 to 2090. The land-use has a significant effect on the density of littered cigarette butts due to its population density. The inquiry's index demonstrated that 33.3% of the studied urban areas are high pollution and severe pollution, while all beaches are high and severe. Therefore, a significant focus must be considered to reduce cigarette butts littering due to the collection problems and challenges of cigarette butt management. Because the pollution on the beaches is higher than in urban areas, improving waste management services and establishing a regular cleaning program are essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Yousefi Nasab
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Vahide Oskoei
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Rezanasab
- Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, , Karaj, Iran
| | - Navid Alinejad
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Ali Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Giti Kashi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
- Water Purification Research Center, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
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24
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Farzadkia M, Salehi Sedeh M, Ghasemi A, Alinejad N, Samadi Kazemi M, Jafarzadeh N, Torkashvand J. Estimation of the heavy metals released from cigarette butts to beaches and urban environments. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 425:127969. [PMID: 34891016 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cigarette butts (CB) are considered as a commonly littered waste. This hazardous waste contains a variety of pollutants. This study was developed to estimate the release of some heavy metals from CBs to the environment in different climatic conditions in different scenarios. To this end, CBs samples were obtained through artificial smoking from 10 high-consumption brands in the Iranian market, and their samples in urban areas were taken and analyzed in terms of heavy metals pollution. The results showed that the average concentrations of Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, Zinc, Copper, Nickel in the studied CBs were 1.71, 0.36, 1.59, 24.61, 12.83, and 2.66 µg/g, respectively. The long persistency of CBs in the environment leads to increased release of all heavy metals to 9.7%. In addition, the rainfall can accelerate the leaching of heavy metals to 17.7% compared to the control scenario. The total mean concentrations of the studied metals in the CBs samples collected from the urban areas in rainy and non-rainy conditions were measured to be 32.67-51.81 μg/g, respectively. According to the data obtained for the amount of each heavy metal releases in four scenarios, 147.5 kg/year and 57.3 kg/year heavy metals are released to the environment in the worst and the best-case scenarios. This study showed that CBs littering lead to the release of heavy metals into the environment; it is necessary to reduce the density of CBs in urban and public environments by training the smokers as well as increasing the efficiency of the urban cleaning system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Farzadkia
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mina Salehi Sedeh
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Ghasemi
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Navid Alinejad
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Malihe Samadi Kazemi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Bojnourd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bojnourd, Iran
| | - Naghmeh Jafarzadeh
- Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Torkashvand
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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25
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Hayati R, Ghasemi A, Hassani G, Norozi D, Mohammadi H, Alinejad N, Shahkarami N. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on coastal environment: positive or negative? A 1-year study on litter in Caspian coasts. ARABIAN JOURNAL OF GEOSCIENCES 2022; 15:1623. [PMCID: PMC9579681 DOI: 10.1007/s12517-022-10886-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Litter is one of the major environmental problems. These wastes cause adverse health, environmental, and even economic effects. One of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is the impact on litter composition and density due to its changes in lifestyle and consumption patterns. In this study, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the composition and density of litter on the ten southern beaches of the Caspian Sea in Iran in 1 year was investigated. The results showed that the density of the litters was in the range of 36.5–306 items/m2. The highest and lowest proportions of the COVID-related litters on the locations studied were 2.54 and 5.95%, respectively. The indexes in the areas studied showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the density of the litter in 90% of the beaches studied by changing the style of citizens, but the emergence of new dumping related to COVID-19 has increased the potential for health and environmental hazards caused by litters. The effects of the COVID-related litters increased the clean environment index by 5 to 12% on the beaches. This study shows that the impact of social phenomena such as a pandemic on litter and its results can be used for the better management of municipal solid wastes, including litter in similar situations in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramin Hayati
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Ghasemi
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Ghasem Hassani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Diba Norozi
- Department of Health Services Management, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Hafez Hospital, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hamed Mohammadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Torbat Jam Faculty of Medical Sciences, Torbat Jam, Iran
| | - Navid Alinejad
- Department of Public Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Negar Shahkarami
- Instructor of Operation Room, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
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26
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Doyan A, Leong CL, Bilad MR, Kurnia KA, Susilawati S, Prayogi S, Narkkun T, Faungnawakij K. Cigarette Butt Waste as Material for Phase Inverted Membrane Fabrication Used for Oil/Water Emulsion Separation. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13121907. [PMID: 34201192 PMCID: PMC8226596 DOI: 10.3390/polym13121907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing rate of oil and gas production has contributed to a release of oil/water emulsion or mixtures to the environment, becoming a pressing issue. At the same time, pollution of the toxic cigarette butt has also become a growing concern. This study explored utilization of cigarette butt waste as a source of cellulose acetate-based (CA) polymer to develop a phase inverted membrane for treatment of oil/water emulsion and compare it with commercial polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and polysulfone (PSF). Results show that the CA-based membrane from waste cigarette butt offers an eco-friendly material without compromising the separation efficiency, with a pore size range suitable for oil/water emulsion filtration with the rejection of >94.0%. The CA membrane poses good structural property similar to the established PVDF and PSF membranes with equally asymmetric morphology. It also poses hydrophilicity properties with a contact angle of 74.5°, lower than both PVDF and PSF membranes. The pore size of CA demonstrates that the CA is within the microfiltration range with a mean flow pore size of 0.17 µm. The developed CA membrane shows a promising oil/water emulsion permeability of 180 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 after five filtration cycles. However, it still suffers a high degree of irreversible fouling (>90.0%), suggesting potential future improvements in terms of membrane fouling management. Overall, this study demonstrates a sustainable approach to addressing oil/water emulsion pollution treated CA membrane from cigarette butt waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aris Doyan
- Master of Science Education Program, University of Mataram, Jl. Majapahit No. 62, Mataram 83125, Indonesia;
- Physics Education, FKIP, University of Mataram, Jl. Majapahit No. 62, Mataram 83125, Indonesia
- Correspondence: (A.D.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Chew Lee Leong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar 32610, Malaysia;
| | - Muhammad Roil Bilad
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar 32610, Malaysia;
- Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Universitas Pendidikan Mandalika (UNDIKMA), Jl. Pemuda No. 59A, Mataram 83126, Indonesia;
- Faculty of Integrated Technologies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong BE1410, Brunei
- Correspondence: (A.D.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Kiki Adi Kurnia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia;
| | - Susilawati Susilawati
- Master of Science Education Program, University of Mataram, Jl. Majapahit No. 62, Mataram 83125, Indonesia;
- Physics Education, FKIP, University of Mataram, Jl. Majapahit No. 62, Mataram 83125, Indonesia
| | - Saiful Prayogi
- Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Universitas Pendidikan Mandalika (UNDIKMA), Jl. Pemuda No. 59A, Mataram 83126, Indonesia;
| | - Thanitporn Narkkun
- National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 111 Thailand Science Park, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand; (T.N.); (K.F.)
| | - Kajornsak Faungnawakij
- National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 111 Thailand Science Park, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand; (T.N.); (K.F.)
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27
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Yousefi M, Kermani M, Farzadkia M, Godini K, Torkashvand J. Challenges on the recycling of cigarette butts. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:30452-30458. [PMID: 33890223 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14058-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cigarette butt (CB) is a crucial litter in urban communities because it may contain various toxicants. Due to serious limitations on incinerating or landfilling CB, recycling of this hazardous waste is essential. The objective of this study was to investigate the most important challenges in CB collection and recycling. To this end, a search was done on Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science by defining a search protocol and identifying appropriate keywords. At the end of the screening process, 52 appropriate papers were selected. In this review, all methods for the CB recycling were considered. This review showed that nine categorizations of different products have been produced from the recycling of CBs, but three important challenges were identified for the recycling of this hazardous waste. It should be noted that finding solutions to these challenges may be helpful in better management of CB as a toxic litter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmood Yousefi
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Kermani
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Farzadkia
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kazem Godini
- Environmental Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdestan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Javad Torkashvand
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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