Open AccessThe efficiency of surgical masks of varying design and composition
Author(s) -
Quesnel Louis B.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
british journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.202
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1365-2168
pISSN - 0007-1323
DOI - 10.1002/bjs.1800621203
Subject(s) - filtration (mathematics) , medicine , particle size , composition (language) , biomedical engineering , significant difference , composite material , surgery , pulp and paper industry , materials science , mathematics , statistics , chemical engineering , engineering , linguistics , philosophy
Five different types of surgical mask of varying design and composition of natural and synthetic fibres were tested for their efficiency in vivo by means of a special test chamber. Contaminated particles escaping through or around the mask during speech by the wearer could be collected and sized. Analysis of the data showed that the gross efficiency of all the masks was high, but that some masks were distinctly better at small particle “filtration” than others. There was a significant difference in efficiency between the best and worst masks. The best masks contained more fabric, were softer and were pleated, while the worst were stiffer, smaller and not pleated. Reusable cotton fabric masks were as effective as synthetic fabric masks when made to a good design.