Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Xinyu Mao, A. E. Hosoi
Summary: The study establishes a quantitative model for predicting the performance of woven heterogeneous cloth masks, introduces a filtration quality factor, and provides a decision map to help people choose suitable cloth masks. It also points out that key factors for high-quality cloth masks include material porosity, fiber diameter, and structural uniformity.
PHYSICAL REVIEW FLUIDS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Elisabeth L. Zeilinger, Nadine Brunevskaya, Jana Wurzer, Sandra Oberleiter, Jonathan Fries, Amelie Fuchs, Alma Herscovici, Lea Kum, Eva K. Masel, Jakob Pietschnig
Summary: Cloth masks have poorer filtering performance compared to medical/surgical and N95 masks, but the effect reverses when cloth masks are compared to ill-fitting medical/surgical and N95 masks.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas W. Bement, David J. Downey, Ania Mitros, Rebecca Lau, Timothy A. Sipkens, Jocelyn Songer, Heidi Alexander, Devon Ostrom, Hamed Nikookar, Steven N. Rogak
Summary: This study examines fabrics that can enhance the performance of cotton masks, particularly in terms of filtration and breathability. Nonwoven polyester and nonwoven polypropylene materials demonstrate better filtration efficiency, with meltblown nonwoven polypropylene being particularly effective against submicron particles. However, post-washing, the quality of meltblown nonwoven polypropylene degrades significantly. The study also explores the impact of washing and drying on the filtration and pressure drop of various fabric combinations.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Chuang Zhang, Qiangqiang Zhao, Jie Xia, Jinxin He, Ying Chen, Xia Dong, Ji'an Wei
Summary: In this study, cotton fabrics grafted with polymers containing quaternary amine antibiotic groups were found to significantly improve filtration efficiency and exhibit excellent antibacterial properties. The pore size of the grafted fabrics decreased, increasing the filtration efficiency to 81.5% +/- 7.8% from 17.5% +/- 2% for the original fabrics. The treated fabrics showed comparable filtration efficiency to medical masks and remained effective after multiple washes. This research could inspire the development of reusable and sustainable facemasks for effective personal protection against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Ziyi Han, Lina Wang, Yueyan Liu, Tatleung Chan, Zhandong Shi, Mingzhou Yu
Summary: This study investigated the role of each layer in a three-layer surgical mask in terms of particle size-dependent filtration and respiratory resistance. Experimental work and numerical simulation were conducted, and it was found that the filtration efficiency of the spun-bond polypropylene nonwoven fabric layer was lower than that of the melt-blown nonwoven polypropylene fabric layer for particles in the range of 0.1-2.0μm. Both layers demonstrated low filtration efficiency for particles smaller than 0.3μm. These findings can contribute to the rational design of mask products.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Weidong He, Yang Yue, Yinghe Guo, Yi-Bo Zhao, Jingxian Liu, Jing Wang
Summary: Inert particles are commonly used as substitutes for biological particles in filtration tests. The physical properties of inert particles and biological particles may affect the filtration efficiencies of filter media. The study evaluated the filtration efficiencies of surgical masks and N95-rated respirators using inert particles (NaCl and PSL) and biological particles (E.coli, B.subtilis, BSA, and endotoxin). The results showed minimal difference in filtration efficiencies for inert particles and biological particles, except for surgical masks where the interception lengths affected the filtration efficiency.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adrian Stan, Sandro Steiner, Shoaib Majeed, Sandra Schorderet Weber, Samik Gosh, Tanja Zivkovic Semren, Philippe Alexandre Guy, Stefan Lebrun, Jerome Steinhauser, Yanik Tardy, Andreas Hogg, Sophie Chiquet, Jean-Luc Perret, Arkadiusz Kuczaj, Manuel Peitsch, Julia Hoeng
Summary: The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated the global demand for respiratory face masks, leading governments to recommend reusable masks to slow down virus transmission. Research has shown that a hydrophobic coating can significantly enhance the filtration efficiency of fabrics.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Axel Fouqueau, Jeremie Pourchez, Lara Leclerc, Aurelien Peyron, Yoann Montigaud, Paul Verhoeven, Tatiana Mace, Alexandre Bescond, Dominique Thomas, Augustin Charvet, Mathieu Ghijselings, Pauline Hars, Franck Polyn, Francois Gaie-Levrel
Summary: This study compares the bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) and particle filtration efficiency (PFE) testing methods for surgical masks, aiming to understand and establish an overview of both approaches. The filtration efficiency of six commercial surgical masks was measured and compared, using experimental methods for 3 μm particle testing developed for face coverings. The results explain the differences and propose recommendations for improving the associated EN14683:2019+AC standard.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Y. Leow, J. K. Shi, W. Liu, X. P. Ni, P. Y. M. Yew, S. Liu, Z. Li, Y. Xue, D. Kai, X. J. Loh
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between fabric properties and mask performance through experimental design and machine learning, revealing the impact of different fabric properties and layer combinations on mask filtration efficiency.
MATERIALS TODAY ADVANCES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
Charles Freeman, Reuben Burch, Catherine Black, Lesley Strawderman, Jaime Rickert, John Wilson, David Saucier, Brian Smith
Summary: This study evaluated the filtration efficiency and quality of seven different fabrics commonly used in non-medical masks, finding that using non-medical fabric masks alone is not very effective, and should be combined with physical distancing to further slow the spread of COVID-19.
TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zeljko Linsak, Lucija Razov, Nikolina Furlan, Gabrijela Begic, Sandra Pavicic Zezelj, Goran Crvelin, Dalibor Broznic, Dijana Tomic Linsak
Summary: This study aimed to determine the filtration effectiveness of three commonly used masks in children's educational institutions and identify the bacterial content of indoor air bioaerosols.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
Tomas Solano, Chuanxin Ni, Rajat Mittal, Kourosh Shoele
Summary: The effectiveness of face masks depends on both the material and the fit on faces. A new model for masks is presented to study the leakage pattern on realistic faces. Higher porosity reduces leakage.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Laura H. Kwong, Rob Wilson, Shailabh Kumar, Yoshika Susan Crider, Yasmin Reyes Sanchez, David Rempel, Ajay Pillarisetti
Summary: It is recommended for the general public to wear masks to slow the spread of COVID-19, with a focus on selecting materials with tested filtration efficiency and breathability. Standard methods should be followed and detailed material characteristics reported to improve the usability of future study results.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ruoyu Zhang, Xiaohui Lu, Lin Wang, Jianmin Chen, Da-Ren Chen, Xiaofei Wang
Summary: Reducing aerosol transmission is effective in preventing the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19, but many people prefer not to wear masks due to discomfort. In this study, it is found that over 95% of respiratory aerosols are electrically charged. Based on this finding, a low-cost respiratory aerosol capturer is designed to remove these charged aerosols efficiently, which outperforms existing air purifiers and costs less than 10% of them. This tool offers a great solution for combating respiratory diseases and has the potential to save many lives, especially for low-income individuals.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pedro J. Benito, Alvaro Gutierrez, Miguel A. Rojo-Tirado
Summary: The real protection offered by facemasks for respiratory virus transmission is still unknown. Current regulations and studies focus on the filtration capacity of mask fabrics, ignoring the air that escapes through facial misalignments. This study aimed to determine the Real Bacterial Filtration Efficiency of different masks by considering both the manufacturers' filtration efficiency and the air that passes through them. Testing was conducted on nine masks using gas analyzers and a mannequin, demonstrating that around half of the air entering the system is not filtered by the masks. Results also showed that hygienic masks consistently filter over 70% of the air, regardless of intensity, while other masks had varying responses depending on the amount of air mobilized. Therefore, the real filtration capacity of masks has been overestimated, as fabric filtration does not accurately represent filtration when masks are worn.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
