Sep 7,2022
With the emergence and the increase in diseases around the world, we see an outbreak of diseases like influenza and Covid-19. With multiple waves of Covid, there might be a chance of a wave of flu and other different types of conditions. Thus, there has been an increase in the demand for face masks as there has been considerable interest in the use of surgical face masks and respirators because they facilitate infection control measures. Although all the types of masks have somewhat similar features and outlooks when it comes to respirators, we see that the respirators are designed completely differently than surgical face masks in various ways. All of them are designed to reduce the amount of exposure to germs and diseases by protecting the users against germs and foreign particles.
However, when it comes to international health and safety organizations that conduct disease control have suggested that the use of KN-95 or a respirator that is better than KN-95 face mask is essential to control and manage the disease, especially for the benefit of health workers and professionals who directly need to come in contact with the patients as the same masks have been proven to be a great source when it comes to protection against foreign particles in various diseases in history.
The primary purpose of the creation of masks in the early time was to provide a protective barrier to the surgery staff that wore them for the first time in the 1900s to prevent contamination in the case of open surgical wounds. However, over time, we see that there is an introduction and expansion in various face masks, their uses, and the function they perform. Today we get to see that face masks are being used in a variety of applications in the field of medicine and healthcare as we get to see that these disposable devices are highly effective in preventing the release of potential contaminants from the users into their immediate environment in which they are performing their tasks and businesses.
In various parts of the world, these masks are cleared for marketing. Surgical, laser, isolation, dental, or even medical procedure masks are labeled. However, these face masks and respirators may come with or without a face shield. With the passing of the law in 1991, we see that these surgical masks have been recommended as an essential part of universal precaution that is considered mandatory to wear to avoid the direct splashes and sprays of infectious blood or other contaminated body fluid.
Talking about the first respirators of all time, we get to see that the first respirators were also made in the early years of the 1900s. The basic need for their development was seen as they were a need for the protection of the miners from various hazardous substances, including dust, smoke, fumes, and carbon monoxide particles. However, with the passage of time and the evolution of respirators, we see that later on, the respirators for the miners and the respirators for the soldiers were separated from one another based on the requirement of both situations as the soldiers were provided with the respirators along with the gas masks s that the soldiers could easily use them in the case of offering protection against chemical warfare agents.
Today, we get to see the use of these respirators in various fields and applications, especially in the field of healthcare, and we get to know that they were an effective tool ack in 1990 in response to the concerns that they had regarding exposure to the type of tuberculosis that had been resistant to drugs. In the same way, it had been an effective tool for the health workers during the outbreak of SARS in the 2000s leading to the use of respirators for infectious respiratory diseases. They have also been seen as a valuable tool in controlling and preventing influenza in 2006-07 and the power and prevention of COVID-19.
Please check out this article: In COVID-19, What Materials Are Used To Make Children's Face Mask
We see that whether we aim to prevent the outward escape of user-generated aerosol ore we want to block the hazardous airborne particles entering the body, we see that there are mainly two aspects of performance. The first aspect requires the filter to be able to capture a full range of the particles that are hazardous in nature as with an availability of a wide range of sizes that are usually over a range of the particles that are quite hazardous in nature, keeping in mind the content of the flow of air. In contrast, the second aspect requires the leakage to be prevented at the boundary of the face mask. However, it is impossible to assure the latter and provide a good face mask without first ensuring a well-functioning filter to contact over company.
When we talk about the filters, the filters we get to see being used in modern face masks personal protection shield form of respirators, we get to see that respirators are products that are fibrous in nature as they are made up of flat, non-woven handmade mats that are made up of fine fiber. Keeping in mind the diameter of the thread, the porosity, which is the ratio of open space to the fibers, and the thickness of the filters all of it play an essential role when it comes to the mechanism that is used to operate and capture the particles creating an inertial impaction, interception, and diffusion as inertial impaction and interception are the fundamental mechanisms that are considered responsible for working in a way that they can collect larger particles.
In contrast, when we talk about face mask, it is the process that is responsible for managing the particles that are smaller in terms of size. In the case of some fibrous filters that are usually made from the charged with an additional mechanism that is there for the electrostatic attraction that is conducting its operations. This mechanism facilitates in both ways as it can collect both the large and the smaller particles, which is an essential process because it not only increases the efficiency but can also strengthen the respirators.
It is the mechanism with which the particles have too much inertia because either the size or the mass fails to follow the airstream, as most of the time, it is diverted around the filter fiber. Thus, this mechanism is considered ideal for collecting particles that are relatively larger in size;
As soon as the particles pass closer to a filter fiber again, this mechanism begins to work in a way that traps all the bigger particles.
We see that air molecules are constantly bombarding tiny particles. This phenomenon is causing deviation from the airstream bringing it in contact with the filter fibers. This mechanism is responsible for collecting the particles that are smaller in terms of size.
With this phenomenon, the particles that are oppositely charged particles are attracted to a charged fiber. This collection mechanism only works for a specific type of fiber and not the others.
However, in all cases, we see that once a particle comes in contact with the fibers of the filter, it is removed from the airstream and is firmly held by the molecular forces that cause attraction. Thus, it becomes tough for such particles to be removed once they are collected. It is observed that usually, there is a particular size for which it could work. Keeping in mind the most penetrating particle size, one should mark the best point at which one needs to measure the filtration performance. In this case, if the filter demonstrates, it will collect a higher performance, both smaller and larger particles, with more efficiency and effectiveness.
1. It is suggested that face masks before buying, certain types of tests need to be performed; these could be in the form of checking for sodium chloride or a dioctyl phthalate oil test aerosol.
2. I was checking for the airflow rate that is supposed to be 85L/min to represent a moderately high work rate.
3. Conditioning can work at a relative humidity of around 85% and a temperature of 38°C at least 24 hours before the product is tested.
4. It uses an aerosol that is neutral in terms of charge.