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 to 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 − 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Aerosol Science & Technology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
ABSTRACT
Air quality in indoor environments can have significant impacts on people's health, comfort, and productivity. Particulate matter (PM; also referred to as aerosols) is an important type of air pollutant, and exposure to outdoor PM has been associated with a variety of diseases. In addition, there is increasing recognition and concern of airborne transmission of viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome corona-virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), especially in indoor environments. Despite its importance, indoor PM data during the COVID-19 pandemic are scarce. In this work, we measured and compared particle number and mass concentrations in aircraft cabins during commercial flights with various indoor environments in Atlanta, GA, during July 2020, including retail stores, grocery stores, restaurants, offices, transportation, and homes. Restaurants had the highest particle number and mass concentrations, dominated by cooking emissions, while in-flight aircraft cabins had the lowest observed concentrations out of all surveyed spaces.