How Does An Antipollution Mask Work?
The increase in air pollution is a major concern nowadays. Especially, the metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mexico City, London, Beijing, etc. are found to be more affected by this. As a consequence, the residents and the travelers are asked to wear the best face mask to protect themselves from any kind of health disorder.
Before moving on to the topic – how does an anti-pollution face mask work, let me introduce you with some basic details that you may never know.
Air pollution is measured by determining the AQI i.e. the Air Quality Index level of the particular city. AQI is calculated based on the Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5, PM 10, Ozone, NO2, CO, and SO2. If the city AQI is measured above 200, the city is marked over-polluted.
As per the medical experts, people who are exposed to toxic air or inhale toxic particles present in the air, not just suffer from lung infections but can even suffer from brain and heart problems. The impact is more powerful on asthmatic patients or people who have any sort of dirt allergy.
Therefore, wearing a face mask for protection is mandatory in these cities.
Medical experts have clearly defined that a face mask can act as a protective shield for the following pollutants.
● SO2 and NO2
● Respiratory Suspended Particulate Matter which has a diameter of less than PM10 (10μM) and less than PM2.5.
Now the question is how does an antipollution mask work!
How does an antipollution face mask work?
Air pollution occurs due to harmful gases and harmful particles, especially the fine particles which are less than 2.5 microns in size. Plenty of face masks are available to attain protection from these impactful particles. However, the level of protection depends on the protection factor assigned to the mask.
If you talk about the regular masks, for example, the simple surgical masks, they provide a simple protective layer against the particulate matter. However, for better protection against the fine suspended particulate matter, you need the most sophisticated masks called respirators.
Types of Respirators
Particulate respirators are available in three distinct groups. These include the N-series, R-series, and P-series.
N-series – N95 masks are the most popular face masks in the N-series as they are less expensive and more easily available than the other two N99 and N100. N-series masks may not be a good resistant to oil-based products but are effective to fight against dust, iron ore, flour, pollen, and other fine particles.
R-series – R-series masks are highly resistant to oil. They provide a strong protective layer against particulates that contain oil. Well, that doesn’t mean they do not offer protection for the particles without oil content. Definitely, they do.
P-series – P-series masks are similar to the R-series masks. They offer protection against particulates that may or may not contain oil. But the difference is they are much more durable than the R-series masks. That’s where they win.
A brief about N95 masks
In metropolitan cities, where the AQI ratings are very poor, normal masks are not so impactful. Here, you need the respirators that can filter out PM 2.5 harmful particles. Masks with N95 rating are proved to be the ideal face masks in this ground.
N95 masks are certified by the National Institute For Occupation Safety And Health (NIOSH). These masks come with protection factor 5 and so are considered to be the best face mask in the market.
The protection factor 5 implies that the mask has the potential to filter out 95% of the pollutants, especially the fine particulates.
N95 masks are designed to filter out smaller particles less than 0.3 microns. Though the masks are not meant for resisting harmful gases, this when featured with activated charcoal can help in reducing the exposure to such gases. Well, these dual protection masks are more expensive than the normal N95 masks.
Are you looking for a cost-effective option that offers strong protection? In that case, N95 masks may prove to be the best.
N99 and N100 Masks
Compare to N95 masks, N99 and N100 have a very high filtration capability. But the problem is neither they are easily available nor they are budget-friendly.
Conclusion
Studies have proved that antipollution face masks like N95 and N99 are effective enough to fight against the harmful pollutants floating in the air.
But to ensure strong protection, it is important to wear the best face mask with the right size. Find the mask that fits you perfectly and set yourself free from the health disorders.