Qingfeng Cao, S. Kim, Qisheng Ou, Hoo Young Chung, Weiqi Chen, W. Durfee, Susan L. Arnold, M. Hillmyer, Linsey Griffin, D. Pui
{"title":"Filtration Performance and Fiber Shedding Behavior in Common Respirator and Face Mask Materials","authors":"Qingfeng Cao, S. Kim, Qisheng Ou, Hoo Young Chung, Weiqi Chen, W. Durfee, Susan L. Arnold, M. Hillmyer, Linsey Griffin, D. Pui","doi":"10.4209/aaqr.220387","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Wearing respirators and face masks is effective for protecting the public from COVID-19 infection. Thus, there is a need to evaluate the performance of the commonly used respirators and face masks. Two experimental systems were developed to investigate seven different mask materials, which have a fiber size range from 0.1 µ m (100 nm) to 20 µ m (20,000 nm). One of the systems is a computer-controlled setup for measuring the filtration performance, including size-dependent filtration efficiency and pressure drop, while the other system is for testing the fiber shedding behavior of the materials. The technique of scanning electron microscope (SEM) was applied to observe the dimensions and structures of those materials, which are made of nonwoven-fabrics electret-treated media, cotton woven fabrics, or nanofiber media. The study indicated that the 3M N95 respirator has the best overall filtration performance with over 95% efficiency and low pressure drop of 74.1 Pa. The two commercial cotton face masks have the worst filtration performance in general, with a filtration efficiency of around 25%. No broken fibers from by the seven tested respirator and face mask materials were discovered; however, dendrite structures likely shed by the SHEMA97 face mask with a size comparable to its nanoscale fibers were identified. The reason for this phenomena is presented.","PeriodicalId":7402,"journal":{"name":"Aerosol and Air Quality Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Aerosol and Air Quality Research","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.220387","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
Wearing respirators and face masks is effective for protecting the public from COVID-19 infection. Thus, there is a need to evaluate the performance of the commonly used respirators and face masks. Two experimental systems were developed to investigate seven different mask materials, which have a fiber size range from 0.1 µ m (100 nm) to 20 µ m (20,000 nm). One of the systems is a computer-controlled setup for measuring the filtration performance, including size-dependent filtration efficiency and pressure drop, while the other system is for testing the fiber shedding behavior of the materials. The technique of scanning electron microscope (SEM) was applied to observe the dimensions and structures of those materials, which are made of nonwoven-fabrics electret-treated media, cotton woven fabrics, or nanofiber media. The study indicated that the 3M N95 respirator has the best overall filtration performance with over 95% efficiency and low pressure drop of 74.1 Pa. The two commercial cotton face masks have the worst filtration performance in general, with a filtration efficiency of around 25%. No broken fibers from by the seven tested respirator and face mask materials were discovered; however, dendrite structures likely shed by the SHEMA97 face mask with a size comparable to its nanoscale fibers were identified. The reason for this phenomena is presented.
期刊介绍:
The international journal of Aerosol and Air Quality Research (AAQR) covers all aspects of aerosol science and technology, atmospheric science and air quality related issues. It encompasses a multi-disciplinary field, including:
- Aerosol, air quality, atmospheric chemistry and global change;
- Air toxics (hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs)) - Sources, control, transport and fate, human exposure;
- Nanoparticle and nanotechnology;
- Sources, combustion, thermal decomposition, emission, properties, behavior, formation, transport, deposition, measurement and analysis;
- Effects on the environments;
- Air quality and human health;
- Bioaerosols;
- Indoor air quality;
- Energy and air pollution;
- Pollution control technologies;
- Invention and improvement of sampling instruments and technologies;
- Optical/radiative properties and remote sensing;
- Carbon dioxide emission, capture, storage and utilization; novel methods for the reduction of carbon dioxide emission;
- Other topics related to aerosol and air quality.