Efficiency of Respirator Filter Media against Diesel Particulate Matter: A Comparison Study Using Two Diesel Particulate Sources

Effectiveness of wearing face masks against traffic particles on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

“…The evidence from laboratory-based studies suggests that distinct types of face masks provide varying levels of protection depending on the materials used for their design, the load of pollutants, the size and characteristics of the particles, and the face t (i.e., edgeseal leakage). [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a spate of studies on the performance and ltering efficiency of face masks. Before the pandemic, limited studies were available, and the majority focused on medical masks and high efficiency respirators for occupational exposure.…”

“…[16][17][18][19][20]24,26,28,29 Only a few studies have included special set ups to test the masks efficiency against diluted exhaust fumes from diesel engines. 22,23,25,27 Studies that have used diesel aerosols as test agent provide better insight than those that have used NaCl aerosols to evaluate the protection provided by face masks and respirators in microenvironments affected by traffic emissions. But their results cannot be directly compared since they used different test protocols and the metrics evaluated were not the same.…”

“…16–20,24,26,28,29 Only a few studies have included special set ups to test the masks efficiency against diluted exhaust fumes from diesel engines. 22,23,25,27…”

“…Particle samples were analyzed offline. 25 Finally, Penconek et al tested the filtration efficiency of two European certified respirators sealed to a manikin head inside a chamber. The number size distributions of diesel aerosols inside and outside the mask were measured with a differential mobility analyzer.…”