The use of fibrous face masks as a barrier against infectious biological airborne particles

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has created a global health crisis which has affected the economic and social development. Infectious airborne particles are transmitted via direct contact or inhalation. In order to reduce the infection rates, face masks such as cloth, surgical and filtering facepiece respirator masks are being used as a nonpharmaceutical intervention. Face cloth masks are recommended for public use due the global shortages of traditional single use surgical and filtering facepiece respirators. Decontamination of masks for reuse is also being suggested in order to address the shortages and environmental pollution. Single use masks are disposed after one-time use and pose an environmental and health risk if not properly disposed. Incinerating masks releases toxic gases during combustion. Contaminated masks can be treated with heat, ultraviolet, chemicals and antimicrobial agents to deactivate microbial particles. The protection provided by masks can be compromised if the decontamination method damages the structural integrity, and heat and chemicals have been reported to cause this. When electrostatic charged masks are exposed to water and chemicals, they lose their electrostatic charge and as result their filtration efficiency decreases. Mask's filtration efficiency from the highest to the lowest is in the order filtering facepiece respirator, surgical and cloth. Because masks act as a barrier and they cause breathability difficulty which is associated with the discomfort experience for the wearer. Breathability from the highest to the lowest is in the order cloth, surgical and filtering facepiece respirator.