TY - JOUR
T1 - Alternative face masks made of common materials for general public
T2 - Fractional filtration efficiency and breathability perspective
AU - Pei, Chenxing
AU - Ou, Qisheng
AU - Kim, Seong Chan
AU - Chen, Sheng-Chieh
AU - Pui, David Y.H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s).
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - As COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 24 million confirmed cases globally (as of August 28th, 2020), it is critical to slow down the spreading of SARS-CoV-2 to protect the healthcare system from overload. Wearing a respirator or a mask has been proven as an effective method to protect both the wearer and others, but commercially available respirators and masks should be reserved for healthcare workers under a currently desperate shortage. The use of alternative materials becomes an option for the general public to make the do-it-yourself (DIY) masks, with their efficacy seldom reported. In this study, we tested commercial respirators and masks, furnace filters, vacuum cleaner filters, and common household materials. We evaluated the materials’ fractional filtration efficiency and breathing resistance, which are primary factors affecting respiratory protection. To compare the efficiency-resistance tradeoff, the figure of merit of each tested common material was also calculated. Filter media with electrostatic charges (electret) is recommended due to its high efficiency with low flow resistance; multiple-layer household fabrics and sterilization wraps are acceptable materials; a coffee filter is inadvisable due to its low efficiency. The outcome of this study can not only offer guidance for the general public under the current pandemic but also suggest the appropriate alternative respiratory protection materials under heavy air pollution episodes.
AB - As COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 24 million confirmed cases globally (as of August 28th, 2020), it is critical to slow down the spreading of SARS-CoV-2 to protect the healthcare system from overload. Wearing a respirator or a mask has been proven as an effective method to protect both the wearer and others, but commercially available respirators and masks should be reserved for healthcare workers under a currently desperate shortage. The use of alternative materials becomes an option for the general public to make the do-it-yourself (DIY) masks, with their efficacy seldom reported. In this study, we tested commercial respirators and masks, furnace filters, vacuum cleaner filters, and common household materials. We evaluated the materials’ fractional filtration efficiency and breathing resistance, which are primary factors affecting respiratory protection. To compare the efficiency-resistance tradeoff, the figure of merit of each tested common material was also calculated. Filter media with electrostatic charges (electret) is recommended due to its high efficiency with low flow resistance; multiple-layer household fabrics and sterilization wraps are acceptable materials; a coffee filter is inadvisable due to its low efficiency. The outcome of this study can not only offer guidance for the general public under the current pandemic but also suggest the appropriate alternative respiratory protection materials under heavy air pollution episodes.
KW - Breathability
KW - Common material
KW - Fractional efficiency
KW - Mask
KW - Respirator
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096472138&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85096472138&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4209/aaqr.2020.07.0423
DO - 10.4209/aaqr.2020.07.0423
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85096472138
SN - 1680-8584
VL - 20
SP - 2581
EP - 2591
JO - Aerosol and Air Quality Research
JF - Aerosol and Air Quality Research
IS - 12
ER -