Re:Estimated 1.56B face masks will have entered oceans in 2020
by yibg on Tuesday December 15, 2020 @09:05PM
(#25438146)
Interesting. Is it that particles smaller than 0.3 microns have more dynamic and random motion? I mean, why is it that particles smaller than 0.3 microns are likely to be "stuck" where as at 0.3 microns they aren't?
Re:Estimated 1.56B face masks will have entered oceans in 2020
by tangent-man on Wednesday December 16, 2020 @10:11AM
(#25443452)
I realized the original comment was about surgical masks.. I was commenting about the filtering properties of multi-layered polypropylene masks. I'm afraid its a bit beyond my Science / Engineering / Maths skills at the moment to try and explain it any better.. but maybe this link will help? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00022470.1980.10...
It is particles that are around 0.3 microns in size that filters have the most difficulty blocking. N95 particles block 95% of particles of 0.3 microns in size. N99 Masks block 99% of particles at 0.3 microns.
As I understand it smaller particles get ‘stuck’ in the maze of fibres and are statistically unlikely to find there way through the mask. The best analogy I can think of is a spec of dust finding its way into a centre of a huge labarynth that is vibrating randomly in all directions (and coated in honey). Some respirator masks also contain anti viral coatings and are electrostaticaly charged.