Quantitative Evaluation of Single-Use Particle Filtering Half Masks for SARS-CoV-2 Protection

Area of Science:

• Respiratory protection
• Materials science
• Public health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic strained healthcare systems, increasing demand for personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Numerous new filtering mask models entered the market with unverified effectiveness claims.
• Lack of objective verification posed risks during the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively assess the particle penetration and filtering effectiveness of various filtering mask models.
• To compare mask performance against established European standards for PPE.
• To identify masks that failed to meet critical safety criteria.

Main Methods:

• Tested 86 filtering mask models using sodium chloride particles.
• Employed particle counters to measure penetration across particle sizes (27-1000 nm).
• Adhered to EN149 §7.9.2 standard for particle penetration testing.

Main Results:

• The majority of mask models exhibited low particle penetration (<3%).
• A significant portion, 27 out of 86 models, demonstrated poor filtering performance.
• Poorer performing masks showed reduced effectiveness for larger particles, unlike top-performing masks.

Conclusions:

• Almost one-third of tested filtering masks did not meet the temporary EU COVID-19 standard criteria.
• The findings underscore the critical need for independent testing of PPE.
• Ensuring mask efficacy is vital for mitigating public health risks associated with infectious diseases.