W Lu1, X C Zhu, X Y Zhang, Y T Chen, W H Chen. 1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Abstract
Objective: To determine the relative protection provided by N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) and disposable medicine masks (DMM) against airborne bacteria in different working environments. Methods: The field study was performed with 12 subjects wearing an N95 filtering facepiece respirator and a disposable medicine mask for 1h, respectively. Airborne microorganisms and bacteria samples from both the external (Ce) and the inner (Ci) surface of N95 FFR and DMM are collected. The Ce: Ci ratio was used to calculate the bacterial filtering proportion. Bacterial filtering efficiency (BFE) was measured using the JWL-2A Sampler. Results: The bacterial filtration efficiency of N95 FFR and DMM were 99.93% and 91.53%, respectively. There was significant difference between the two materials (P<0.05). In summer, airborne bacterial concentration was higher than that in winter. In the same season, airborne bacterial concentration in hospital environment is higher than that in campus. The higher the airborne bacterial concentration, the greater bacterial contaminated on the external surface of the used masks. To all masks used in different working environment, bacterial contamination on the external surface was much greater than the inner surface (P<0.01). Compared to N95 FFR, DMM had slighter bacterial contamination on the external surface and greater bacterial contamination on the inner surface. However, this difference was not significant (P>0.05). The bacterial filtering proportion of N95 FFR is higher than DMM. These differences were significant in samples tested in summer (P<0.05) , but were not significant in samples tested in winter (P>0.05). Conclusion: Bacterial filtering efficiency of N95 respirator is superior to medicine mask, and this advantage become more obvious in high airborne bacterial concentration levels.
Objective: To determine the relative protection provided by N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) and disposable medicine masks (DMM) against airborne bacteria in different working environments. Methods: The field study was performed with 12 subjects wearing an N95 filtering facepiece respirator and a disposable medicine mask for 1h, respectively. Airborne microorganisms and bacteria samples from both the external (Ce) and the inner (Ci) surface of N95 FFR and DMM are collected. The Ce: Ci ratio was used to calculate the bacterial filtering proportion. Bacterial filtering efficiency (BFE) was measured using the JWL-2A Sampler. Results: The bacterial filtration efficiency of N95 FFR and DMM were 99.93% and 91.53%, respectively. There was significant difference between the two materials (P<0.05). In summer, airborne bacterial concentration was higher than that in winter. In the same season, airborne bacterial concentration in hospital environment is higher than that in campus. The higher the airborne bacterial concentration, the greater bacterial contaminated on the external surface of the used masks. To all masks used in different working environment, bacterial contamination on the external surface was much greater than the inner surface (P<0.01). Compared to N95 FFR, DMM had slighter bacterial contamination on the external surface and greater bacterial contamination on the inner surface. However, this difference was not significant (P>0.05). The bacterial filtering proportion of N95 FFR is higher than DMM. These differences were significant in samples tested in summer (P<0.05) , but were not significant in samples tested in winter (P>0.05). Conclusion: Bacterial filtering efficiency of N95 respirator is superior to medicine mask, and this advantage become more obvious in high airborne bacterial concentration levels.