Massive use of disinfectants against COVID-19 poses potential risks to urban wildlife

Environ Res. 2020 Sep:188:109916. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109916. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

¹ Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei Province, China.
² Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China.
³ Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan Province, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei Province, China. Electronic address: lidngmng@gmail.com.

Abstract

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Globally, massive disinfectants are used to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19.
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Applying massive disinfectants pose a significant threat to urban environment and wildlife.
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Policies are required to minimize the adverse effects on wildlife due to overuse of disinfectants.