Evaluation of Filtration Performance Efficiency of Commercial Cloth Masks

Abstract

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the filtration efficiencies and pressure drops of five commercial cloth masks (4 plate type, 1 cup type) in comparison to the performance of a class 1 disposable respirator (reference respirator). A further objective was to evaluate the effects of the number of layers and wash treatment independently on filtration efficiencies and pressure drops. Methods: Polydisperse NaCl aerosols were generated in an aerosol chamber and their concentrations were measured by an optical particle counter (OPC) in the size range of $0.3{\sim}10{\mu}m$ (five channels). Results: The filtration efficiencies of the five cloth masks and the reference respirator were D: 9.5%, C: 18.5%, E: 23.6%, A: 28.5%, B: 29.7% and R: 91.1%, respectively, and the pressure drops through them were C, D: 0.8 Pa, E: 1.7 Pa, B: 6.4 Pa, A: 42.7 Pa and R: 19.3 Pa, respectively. The filtration efficiencies of the cloth masks and reference respirator were below the class 1 respirator criterion ( ${\geq}94.0%$) of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). The pressure drops satisfied the class 1 respirator criterion ( ${\leq}70Pa$) of MOEL and MFDS. When the cloth masks were folded into two and four layers, the filtration efficiencies of cloth masks A, B, C, D (plate type) increased 1.7-4.6 times, and 2.3-6.8 times, respectively, compared to the efficiencies of the same products in a single layer. Pressure drops increased as the number of layers was increased. The filtration efficiency of cloth mask E with a liner was 1.3 times higher than that of the same mask without a liner, and the pressure drop was lower in the no-liner configuration. After a single washing, the filtration efficiencies of all the cloth mask products decreased 1.04-4.0 times compared to those of the same products intact. For the cloth masks C and E, their filtration efficiencies were significantly decreased after washing (p<0.05). The pressure drops of all cloth masks were 1.2-2.0 times lower after washing. Conclusions: The filtration efficiencies of the five cloth masks were below 30% and did not improve greatly by increasing the number of layers. After a single washing, their performances decreased. Considering the above and other issues identified with cloth masks, such as poor fit and stretched fibers through use, people should not expect protection against particulate matters from the cloth masks on th…