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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to An overview of filtration efficiency through the masks: Mechanisms of the aerosols penetration
ClearViruses and Their Penetration Through Fibrous Structures: a Review
This review examines how viruses interact with and penetrate fibrous structures such as face masks and respirators, analyzing the filtration mechanisms and material properties that determine the protective efficacy of textile barriers against airborne viral transmission.
Aerosol Filtration Testing of Fabrics for Development of Reusable Face Masks
Researchers tested the aerosol filtration performance of over 300 fabrics and layered fabric combinations for use as reusable face masks, finding that layered materials and hydrophobic coatings significantly improve filtration efficiency while maintaining breathability. The work provides practical guidance for designing effective non-disposable masks — an important consideration given that disposable mask waste, including microplastic-releasing synthetic fibers, became a major pollution concern during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Study of Surface Morphology and Effectiveness of Common Nasopharyngeal Masks: A Case of Kathmandu, Nepal
Researchers tested 38 face masks — including cloth masks, surgical masks, and N95 respirators — against PM10 and PM2.5 particles using a mannequin head setup in Kathmandu, Nepal, finding significant variation in filtration efficiency among mask types. The study provides practical guidance on mask effectiveness for particulate matter protection in real-world conditions.
Effectiveness of Inexpensive Cloth Facemasks and Their Amendments to Reduce Ambient Particulate Exposures: A Case of Kathmandu, Nepal
This study tested multiple types of inexpensive cloth face masks under controlled airflow conditions in Kathmandu, Nepal and found wide variation in particulate matter filtration efficiency across mask types, with multilayer and tightly woven designs performing best for reducing ambient particle inhalation.
Filtration Performance of Layering Masks and Face Coverings and the Reusability of Cotton Masks after Repeated Washing and Drying
Researchers tested the filtration efficiency of various face masks and found that layering a cloth mask over a surgical mask improved particle filtration by about 25%, and that cotton masks retained their filtration ability even after 52 wash-and-dry cycles. However, the study also observed that repeated washing gradually broke down cotton fibers into micro- and nano-scale fragments, raising a subtle concern about microfiber shedding from laundered cloth masks.
Reusability of face masks: Influence of washing and comparison of performance between medical face masks and community face masks
Researchers tested the impact of 20 wash cycles at 60 degrees Celsius on the particle filtration efficiency and breathability of both medical face masks and reusable community face masks, measuring performance across particle sizes from 0.1 to 6.5 micrometers. They found that washing affected filtration efficiency differently between mask types, informing guidance on the safe reuse of masks and their relative environmental footprints.
A Novel Face Masks and it’s Utility during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive Review
This review examines the technical specifications, materials, and engineering advances of face masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic, including both commercial and homemade options. Researchers discuss the environmental impact of disposable masks, noting that their widespread use has contributed to microplastic pollution as mask materials degrade. The study highlights the need for mask designs that balance effective viral protection with reduced environmental contamination.
A Review of the Fabrication Methods, Testing, and Performance of Face Masks
This review covered the fabrication methods, filtration performance, comfort characteristics, and certification standards of face masks and respirators, with particular attention to developments during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors identified trade-offs between filtration efficiency, breathability, and user comfort across different mask types and materials.
Different Type of Face Masks and Their Protection Against Covid-19
This review examined the protective effectiveness of different face mask types against COVID-19. While focused on masks as infection control, surgical and N95 masks are a significant source of microplastic fibers released into the environment during use and disposal.
Fabric structure and polymer composition as key contributors to micro(nano)plastic contamination in face masks.
Researchers investigated how the structure of face masks — including surgical polypropylene and fashionable polyurethane masks — influences the generation of micro- and nano-plastics during normal wear and UV aging. The findings show that mask material composition and fabric structure are key determinants of how much plastic particles are shed into the wearer's breathing zone.
Particles and fragments in unused disposable face masks: A microscopic analysis
Researchers microscopically examined commercially available surgical masks and found particles and fragments in the 2–40 micrometer range on fiber surfaces inside all masks tested, raising questions about whether mask wearers may inhale these microplastic-sized particles.
Mask material: challenges and virucidal properties as an effective solution against coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
This review examines the filtration efficiency, breathability, and virucidal properties of different mask materials against SARS-CoV-2, finding that cotton mask performance improves with higher thread count and more layers but at a cost to breathability.
A threat or not? A global-scale investigation on microplastics inhalation during the first-ever worldwide face-mask wearing against the COVID-19 pandemic
Researchers built a custom inhalation simulator to test whether wearing face masks increases or decreases microplastic inhalation. They conducted measurements across different mask types and found that while masks do release some microplastic fibers, they generally provide net protection by filtering out airborne particles. The study provides evidence that mask-wearing during the pandemic likely reduced, rather than increased, overall microplastic inhalation.
Filtration Performance and Fiber Shedding Behavior in Common Respirator and Face Mask Materials
Researchers tested seven common respirator and face mask materials for how well they filter airborne particles and whether they shed fibers. The N95 respirator performed best with over 95% filtration efficiency, while cotton masks filtered only about 25% of particles; one mask also shed tiny dendrite structures similar in size to its nanoscale fibers.
COVID-19: Performance study of microplastic inhalation risk posed by wearing masks
Researchers tested how different types of face masks affect the risk of inhaling microplastics during breathing. They found that while masks generally reduce exposure to granular microplastics, surgical, cotton, and activated carbon masks can increase fiber-like microplastic inhalation, and reusing disinfected masks raises particle exposure further. N95 masks offered the best protection, reducing spherical microplastic inhalation risk by over 25 times compared to wearing no mask.
The impact and effectiveness of the general public wearing masks to reduce the spread of pandemics in the UK: a multidisciplinary comparison of single-use masks versus reusable face masks.
Reusable fabric face masks and single-use surgical masks were compared for filtration efficiency and particle shedding, with single-use masks providing better protection against airborne pathogens but generating more plastic waste, while reusable cotton masks reduced waste but required proper washing protocols to maintain effectiveness.
Exudation of microplastics from commonly used face masks in COVID-19 pandemic
Researchers simulated real-world mask usage and found that commonly used face masks — including surgical and cloth types — shed measurable quantities of microplastic particles that could be inhaled by the wearer, raising concerns about respiratory exposure during prolonged mask use.
Public face masks wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comprehensive analysis is needed for potential implications
This review weighed evidence on the effectiveness of face masks for preventing COVID-19 transmission against growing evidence that masks release microplastics and chemical contaminants when worn and degraded. The authors concluded that the public health benefits of mask use during the pandemic outweighed plastic exposure risks, but called for redesigned masks with lower MP release and better end-of-life management.
Microscopy of Woven and Nonwoven Face Covering Materials: Implications for Particle Filtration
Researchers used visible light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and micro-X-ray computed tomography to characterize fiber diameter distributions, fabric thickness, and solid volume fractions across woven natural and synthetic fabrics and nonwoven filtration layers from surgical masks and N95 respirators, finding nonwoven materials exhibit a positively skewed fiber diameter distribution with a mean of approximately 3 micrometers.
The impact and effectiveness of the general public wearing masks to reduce the spread of pandemics in the UK: a multidisciplinary comparison of single-use masks versus reusable face masks.
This study compared the filtration effectiveness and environmental impact of single-use versus reusable face masks during COVID-19, finding that reusable masks can be comparable in protection while significantly reducing plastic waste. Billions of disposable masks ended up in the environment during the pandemic, releasing microplastic fibers and fragments as they degraded.
What We Are Learning from COVID-19 for Respiratory Protection: Contemporary and Emerging Issues
This review examines lessons from COVID-19 for respiratory protection, analyzing how the pandemic revealed limitations in mask design, supply chains, and risk communication, while driving innovation in filtration materials including electrospun nanofiber membranes that shed microplastics.
Face Mask: As a Source or Protector of Human Exposure to Microplastics and Phthalate Plasticizers?
Researchers tested five types of face masks to determine whether they protect against or contribute to human inhalation of microplastics and phthalate plasticizers. They found that while masks filter out some airborne microplastics, they also release their own microplastic fibers and contain phthalate chemicals that wearers can inhale. The study suggests face masks have a dual role as both protectors and sources of microplastic and chemical exposure.
Face Mask as a Tool to Prevent the Coronavirus Disease 2019: The Importance and Challenges
This review examined the effectiveness and challenges of face masks for preventing COVID-19 transmission. Disposable surgical masks are now recognized as a significant environmental source of microplastic fibers, as they shed synthetic particles during use and when discarded.
Development of reusable cloth mask with nanoparticle filtration efficiency greater than 95%
Researchers developed a reusable cloth mask with nanoparticle filtration efficiency greater than 95%, motivated by the environmental concerns of single-use surgical and respirator masks that shed microplastic fibers, evaluating the novel mask material's filtration performance against respiratory droplets and particulates.