Examination of Nanoparticle Filtration by Filtering Facepiece Respirators During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hao, Junli; Santos, Rachel Passos de Oliveira

doi:10.1021/acsanm.1c00139

Cited by 14 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…45 Respirators such as N95s are made of several nonwoven synthetic layers and offer better virus filtration due to electrostatic charges and a close seal to the face. 46 The ultrafine filtration layer is typically composed of meltblown polypropylene, that is then placed between multiple other polyester layers. Respirators are likely to be better than surgical masks for sun protection due to their polyester content.…”

Section: Medical Masksmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Added Benefit of Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ultraviolet Protection

2021

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The widespread use of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic presents a new avenue for protecting the lower half of the face from the harms of sun exposure. The increased social acceptability of masks, which may persist post-pandemic, has the potential to impact prevention of photosensitive disorders, photoaging, and skin cancer. The authors sought to review clinically relevant information on the ultraviolet (UV) shielding properties of masks. This synthesis of current research will help physicians counsel patients on optimal mask choices, from both dermatological and public health viewpoints. The variables impacting the UV protection of masks were reviewed, including fabric type, construction, porosity, and color. Other factors related to wear and use such as moisture, stretch, laundering, and sanitization are discussed in the context of the pandemic. Black, tightly woven, triple-layered polyester cloth masks were determined to be optimal for UV protection. The most protective choice against both SARS-CoV-2 and UV radiation is a medical mask worn underneath the aforementioned cloth mask. In order to preserve the filtration capacity of the fabric, masks should be changed once they have become moist. Washing cotton masks before first use in laundry detergents containing brightening agents increases their UV protection. Overall, cloth masks for the public that are safest against SARS-CoV-2 are generally also the most protective against UV damage. People should be encouraged to procure a high-quality mask to simultaneously help reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and shield against sun exposure. Further investigation is needed on the UV-protective properties of medical masks.

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Section: Medical Masksmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Added Benefit of Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ultraviolet Protection

2021

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“…In a recent study, Hao et al [31] examined the effectiveness of 136 filtering facepiece respirators of the N95-type and revealed that a significant percentage of the respirators fell notably below their claimed performance level. The fit factor differences of the different respirators used in this study were not analyzed due the sample size not being adequate to compare these three conditions, but these differences could have influenced our study findings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facial Hair Decreases Fit Factor of Masks and Respirators in Healthcare Providers

De-Yñigo-Mojado

Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo

Iglesias

et al. 2021

Biology

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In response to the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers are using common surgical masks and filtering respirators in conjunction with the presence of facial hair, which could lead to a large number of particles passing into their respiratory system. The purpose of this study was to determine the fit factor effectiveness of filtering respirators and surgical masks in bearded versus non-bearded healthcare providers. A controlled randomized clinical trial (NCT04391010) was carried out, analyzing a sample of 63 healthcare providers. The fit factors of surgical masks and FFP3 filtering respirators for healthcare providers with (n = 32) and without (n = 31) facial hair were compared. Fit factors were measured during an exercises protocol in which healthcare providers wore surgical masks and FFP3 filtering respirators. Surgical mask fit factor comparisons did not show significant differences (p > 0.05) between healthcare providers with and without facial hair. In contrast, filtering respirator fit factor comparisons showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) between both groups, indicating that healthcare providers with facial hair showed lower fit factor scores, which implies a worse fit factor with respect to healthcare providers without facial hair. The fit factor effectiveness of filtering respirators was reduced in healthcare providers with facial hair. The authors of this paper encourage healthcare providers to trim their beards during filtering respirator use or wear full-mask filtering facepiece respirators, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“…Donning face masks and social distancing have been the primary tools in mitigating droplet and airborne transmission [1,2]. It is well-known that proper material designs can be employed to reach a high filtration efficiency and proper pressure drop through mask fabrics [3][4][5]. However, when the mask is fabricated from the cloth or is loosely placed on the face, its efficacy decreases significantly due to leakage around the perimeter of the mask [6,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of the Role of Face Shape on the Flow Dynamics and Effectiveness of Face Masks

Solano

Shoele

2022

Fluids

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks have been used extensively in society. The effectiveness of face masks depends on their material, design, and fit. With much research being focused on quantifying the role of the material, the design and fit of masks have been an afterthought at most. Recent studies, on the other hand, have shown that the mask fit is a significant factor to consider when specifying the effectiveness of the face mask. Moreover, the fit is highly dependent on face topology. Differences in face types and anthropometrics lead to different face mask fit. Here, computational fluid dynamics simulations employing a novel model for porous membranes (i.e., masks) are used to study the leakage pattern of a cough through a face mask on different faces. The three faces studied (female, male, and child) are characteristic faces identified in a previous population study. The female face is observed to have the most leakage through the periphery of the mask, which results in the lowest fitted filtration efficiency of the three faces. The male and child faces had similar gap profiles, leakage and fitted filtration efficiencies. However, the flow of the three faces differs significantly. The effect of the porosity of the mask was also studied. While all faces showed the same general trend with changing porosity, the effect on the child’s face was more significant.

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Examination of Nanoparticle Filtration by Filtering Facepiece Respirators During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cited by 14 publications

References 31 publications

An Added Benefit of Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ultraviolet Protection

An Added Benefit of Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ultraviolet Protection

Facial Hair Decreases Fit Factor of Masks and Respirators in Healthcare Providers

Investigation of the Role of Face Shape on the Flow Dynamics and Effectiveness of Face Masks

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