The cloth mask.. its effectiveness and shelf life

The cloth mask.. its effectiveness and shelf life

An American study confirmed that reusable cloth masks remain effective after being washed and dried for a year in filtering airborne particles, including viral particles. The study was conducted at the University of “Colorado Boulder” and published in the journal Aerosol and Air Quality Research, where the research confirmed that placing a cotton mask over the surgical mask, because it fits perfectly with the face, provides greater protection than that made of cloth only.

In this study, according to a report by The Health Site, the scientists did not test the mask on real people. Instead, they used the following mechanism:

*Create several squares of double-layered cotton.

*Was washed and dried over and over 52 times, which is the number of weekly washes per year.

*Cotton box tested between approximately every 7 cleaning cycles.

*For testing, cotton is attached to one end of a steel funnel.

Through this funnel, the researchers were able to control the constant flow of air and airborne particles, and to mimic the effect of breathing on a mask, the researchers created realistic conditions for real life, with high humidity levels and temperatures.

After repeated washing and drying, although the cotton square fibers began to break down, it did not change the filtering ability of the mask.

The only negative effect was a slight increase in inhalation resistance, meaning the mask became difficult to breathe through after washing and drying several times.

It is reported that since the beginning of the Corona virus pandemic, thousands of tons of medical waste is being produced around the world every day, much of it consisting of disposable masks.

According to the study author: “During the beginning of the epidemic, we really bothered to go out for a walk or go downtown, and see all these disposable masks litter the environment.”

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Aside from the reusability of cotton masks, the study also indicated their effectiveness, and that surgical masks, as well as cotton masks that are fitted over cotton masks, are better than cotton masks.

According to the study, cotton masks filtered about 23% of the smallest particle size, 0.3 microns, on which the virus could transmit.

The effectiveness of surgical masks was much better because they filtered between 42-88% of small particles, while the filtration efficiency of cotton masks over surgical masks was about 40%, and KN95 and N95 masks were the best performers as they filtered 83-99% of fine particles.

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