Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a severe shortage of personal protective equipment. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the general public to use cloth masks as a protection for individuals and reduce the transmission of the disease. Here, we evaluated the size-dependent filtration efficiency of submicron particles and the overall filtration efficiency (total rejection of particles) of multiple commercially available materials in the size range of 17–700 nm. Single-layer samples of woven fabrics such as cotton and polyester have overall filtration efficiency of 12%−22%. Blended fabrics filter 11%−48% of particles. Products manufactured from cellulose have filtration efficiency of 29%−33%. Materials commonly found and used in hospitals remove 20%−63% of particles and filtration efficiency of filter materials ranges from 40% to 96%. Particle filtration of materials becomes more efficient when individual materials are stacked and used as multiple layers. Different combinations of woven, nonwoven, and blended fabrics were evaluated and have overall particle filtration efficiency of 38%−63%. Results in this study highlight the importance of using multiple layers in homemade masks to enhance filtration efficiency. Commercially accessible materials like Halyard sterilization wrap and blackout drapery lining show the best filtration performance among all tested single-layer materials and therefore are recommended to use as one of the layers in homemade masks. Universal mask wearing – regardless of whether an individual is infected – will help reduce transmission risk.

Copyright © 2021 American Association for Aerosol Research

摘要

COVID-19 大流行导致个人防护设备严重短缺。世界卫生组织（WHO）和美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）建议广大公众使用布口罩作为对个人的保护，减少疾病的传播。在这里，我们评估了亚微米颗粒的尺寸相关过滤效率和尺寸范围为 17-700 nm 的多种市售材料的整体过滤效率（颗粒的总截留率）。棉、涤纶等机织织物单层样品的整体过滤效率为12%-22%。混纺织物可过滤 11%−48% 的颗粒。由纤维素制成的产品的过滤效率为 29%−33%。医院常见和使用的材料可去除 20%-63% 的颗粒，过滤材料的过滤效率在 40% 至 96% 之间。当单个材料堆叠并用作多层时，材料的颗粒过滤变得更加有效。对机织、非织造和混纺织物的不同组合进行了评估，总体颗粒过滤效率为 38%-63%。这项研究的结果强调了在自制口罩中使用多层以提高过滤效率的重要性。Halyard 消毒包布和遮光窗帘衬里等商用材料在所有经过测试的单层材料中表现出最佳过滤性能，因此建议用作自制口罩的一层。

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