TY - JOUR
T1 - Size-dependent filtration efficiency of alternative facemask filter materials
AU - Dhanraj, David I.A.
AU - Choudhary, Shruti
AU - Jammalamadaka, Udayabhanu
AU - Ballard, David H.
AU - Kumfer, Benjamin M.
AU - Dang, Audrey J.
AU - Williams, Brent J.
AU - Meacham, Kathleen W.
AU - Axelbaum, Richard L.
AU - Biswas, Pratim
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/4/2
Y1 - 2021/4/2
N2 - The use of facemasks is proven to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and other biological agents that cause disease. Various forms of facemasks, made using different materials, are being used extensively, and it is important to determine their performance characteristics. The size-dependent filtration efficiency and breathing resistance of household sterilization wrap fabrics, and isolation media (American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)-and non-ASTM-rated), were measured in filter-holder-and mannequin-in-chamber-based systems, focusing on particles sizes between 20 nm and 2 µm. Double-layer MERV-14 (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values with rating 14) showed the highest filtration efficiency (94.9–73.3%) amongst household filter media, whereas ASTM-rated isolation masks showed the highest filtration efficiencies (95.6–88.7) amongst all the masks considered. Filtration efficiency of 3D-printed masks with replaceable filter media was found to depend on the degree of sealing around the media holder, which depended on the material’s compressibility. Filtration efficiencies of triple-layer combinations (95.8–85.3%) follow a profile similar to single layers but with improved filtration efficiencies.
AB - The use of facemasks is proven to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and other biological agents that cause disease. Various forms of facemasks, made using different materials, are being used extensively, and it is important to determine their performance characteristics. The size-dependent filtration efficiency and breathing resistance of household sterilization wrap fabrics, and isolation media (American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)-and non-ASTM-rated), were measured in filter-holder-and mannequin-in-chamber-based systems, focusing on particles sizes between 20 nm and 2 µm. Double-layer MERV-14 (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values with rating 14) showed the highest filtration efficiency (94.9–73.3%) amongst household filter media, whereas ASTM-rated isolation masks showed the highest filtration efficiencies (95.6–88.7) amongst all the masks considered. Filtration efficiency of 3D-printed masks with replaceable filter media was found to depend on the degree of sealing around the media holder, which depended on the material’s compressibility. Filtration efficiencies of triple-layer combinations (95.8–85.3%) follow a profile similar to single layers but with improved filtration efficiencies.
KW - 3D-printed masks
KW - Breathing resistance
KW - COVID-19
KW - Facemasks
KW - Multi-layer filter media
KW - Size-dependent filtration efficiency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85104205558&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ma14081868
DO - 10.3390/ma14081868
M3 - Article
C2 - 33918714
AN - SCOPUS:85104205558
SN - 1996-1944
VL - 14
JO - Materials
JF - Materials
IS - 8
M1 - 1868
ER -