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Quantitative Method for Comparative Assessment of Particle Removal Efficiency of Fabric Masks as Alternatives to Standard Surgical Masks for PPE.
- Source :
-
Matter [Matter] 2020 Sep 02; Vol. 3 (3), pp. 950-962. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Jul 09. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, cloth masks are being used to control the spread of virus, but the efficacy of these loose-fitting masks is not well known. Here, tools and methods typically used to assess tight-fitting respirators were modified to quantify the efficacy of community-produced and commercially produced fabric masks as personal protective equipment. Two particle counters concurrently sample ambient air and air inside the masks; mask performance is evaluated by mean particle removal efficiency and statistical variability when worn as designed and with a nylon overlayer, to independently assess fit and material. Worn as designed, both commercial surgical masks and cloth masks had widely varying effectiveness (53%-75% and 28%-91% particle removal efficiency, respectively). Most surgical-style masks improved with the nylon overlayer, indicating poor fit. This rapid testing method uses widely available hardware, requires only a few calculations from collected data, and provides both a holistic and aspect-wise evaluation of mask performance.<br />Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.<br /> (© 2020 Elsevier Inc.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2590-2385
- Volume :
- 3
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Matter
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 32838296
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2020.07.006