Filtration Efficiency of Surgical Masks, Fabric Masks and N95/KN95/FFP1/FFP2 Masks Available for Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand
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Abstract
This work aims to experimentally study the particle filtration efficiency of surgical masks, fabric masks, and N95/KN95/FFP1/FFP2 masks available during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. In this study, 259 samples of commercially available covers consisted of 67 samples of surgical masks, 71 pieces of fabric masks, and 121 instances of N95/KN95/FFP1/FFP2 masks. It was carried out by the ASTM F2299-03 standard test method for determining the filtration efficiency with polystyrene latex sphere particles at a face velocity of about 10.6 cm/s. The results showed that the surgical masks have average, minimum, maximum, and standard deviation of particle filtration efficiencies of 50.50, 2.50, 95.90, and 26.34 %, respectively. The fabric masks have those efficiencies of 39.10, 5.93, 87.55, and 19.64 %, respectively, while the N95/KN95/FFP1/FFP2 masks efficiencies are 72.21, 8.92, 99.97, and 26.65 %, respectively. Also, the principle of particle filtration, structure, and components of a face mask is explained in this paper. This information is beneficial to both consumers and interested peoples.
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References
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