From Bona Fide Mask: DUE TO AN INCREASE IN COVID-19 CASES WE ARE NOW OFFERING FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING ON ALL KN95 FDA AUTHORIZED MASK ORDERS THRU 7/19/20! ALL ORDERS SHIP FROM OUR WAREHOUSE IN NEW YORK!
Hey guys don't want to burst your bubble, however, what you are talking about is not a filtration test, but one that has been propagated by social media. You have sadly been misinformed. The only actual liquid barrier test that is performed on respirator masks is for a small classification known as Surgical N95's, which are considered medical devices by the FDA. Also, liquid barrier protection is rated by ASTM and not NIOSH. Your standard N95 from 3m or Honeywell is not designed for liquid barrier protection and the ability of it to hold water has zero impact on filtration. I emailed Powecom after seeing some of these posts just to be sure and recieved the following back:
IT IS NOT scientific to test qualified KN95 masks by pouring water into them. The dripping test is just a rumor. Firstly, water will destroy the protection ability of the melt blown filtering layer, that means: Water will destroy the effectiveness of the face mask; Secondly, too much water has weight (universal force[Laugh]) , so too much water will drip. Also, : The first layer of nonwoven material can let O2 (= oxygen ) pass through the face mask. That is why, the 1st Layer of face mask cannot 100% block water, especially when there is too much (for example, a cup of Water , too much water !!) pour in the face mask. This is not a scientific test and should not be used. Below are links from actual testing reports from the NPPTL that may be helpful Guangzhou Powecom Labor Insurance Supplies Co., Ltd.KN95GB262699.2898.962020-211.1pdf icon [cdc.gov] Guangzhou Powecom Labor Insurance Supplies Co., Ltd.KN95GB262699.5698.182020-303.1pdf icon [cdc.gov] Just want to make sure you guys have all the information. N95's are not for liquid barrier protection and neither are KN95's. The only liquid barrier protection masks are real ASTM surgical masks and Surgical N95's, which right now should be reserved ONLY for healthcare professionals. |
Statement for the Medical Device Respirator recalls in Canada
Guangzhou Powecom Labor Insurance Supplies Co., Ltd hereby declare that the following two importers are not our purchasers.We have not found any information about the relevant companies in the sales records. Our company has an export license. All exports in our company's name are genuine.
There are many fake products on the market. The products that fail to pass the inspection in Canada are not exported by our company. Obviously these are fake.
Our main task in February, March and April is to provide the Chinese government with a large number of high-quality and qualified masks.We've been on the EUA list since April 3 . In fact ,CDC has always tested the quality of all respirators,in order to ensure that all the respirators imported to the United States are safe and up to standard. The following four test reports were issued by NPPTL and can be read on CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/R...SULTS.HTML
Government of Canada has issued a RECALL on these products.
Health Canada has determined that certain respirators that do not meet performance standards may pose a health and safety risk to users when used in a setting that requires 95% filtration (such as a health care settings).
https://healthycanadian
Useful links regarding mask reuse and cleaning:
USA today has a good simple article about mask cleaning, including N95 (same as KN95):
https://www.usatoday.co
Official recommendation from CDC :
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/...xtuse.html
There's a dedicated website about disinfecting N95, contributed by renown researchers and professionals:
https://www.n95decon.or
https://www.n95decon.or
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Edit: Report filed. I suggest others do the same if yours fail as well.
IT IS NOT scientific to test qualified KN95 masks by pouring water into them. The dripping test is just a rumor. Firstly, water will destroy the protection ability of the melt blown filtering layer, that means: Water will destroy the effectiveness of the face mask; Secondly, too much water has weight (universal force[Laugh]) , so too much water will drip. Also, : The first layer of nonwoven material can let O2 (= oxygen ) pass through the face mask. That is why, the 1st Layer of face mask cannot 100% block water, especially when there is too much (for example, a cup of Water , too much water !!) pour in the face mask. This is not a scientific test and should not be used. Below are links from actual testing reports from the NPPTL that may be helpful
Guangzhou Powecom Labor Insurance Supplies Co., Ltd.KN95GB262699.2898.962020-211.1pdf icon [cdc.gov]
Guangzhou Powecom Labor Insurance Supplies Co., Ltd.KN95GB262699.5698.182020-303.1pdf icon [cdc.gov]
Just want to make sure you guys have all the information. N95's are not for liquid barrier protection and neither are KN95's. The only liquid barrier protection masks are real ASTM surgical masks and Surgical N95's, which right now should be reserved ONLY for healthcare professionals.
Edit: Report filed. I suggest others do the same if yours fail as well.
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/r...ed-508.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/r...ed-508.pdf
NIOSH (occupation health) wanted to see if NIOSH approved N95 respirators were splash resistant, even though NIOSH N95 approval doesn't require liquid resistance but for medical use, the FDA does require splash resistance for small amounts of liquid (about 2ml).
So NIOSH/CDC did a study which is summarized here:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/Researc...-Resistant
And available here:
https://www.ajicjournal
They tested by using ASTM F1862 / F1862M, which uses synthetic blood (which is thicker than water) splashing rather than filling the mask with water.
"Medical face masks are intended to resist liquid penetration from the splatter or splashing of blood, body fluids, and other potentially infectious materials."
"This test method is used to evaluate the resistance of medical face masks to penetration by the impact of a small volume (~2 mL) of a high-velocity stream of synthetic blood."
So I don't know about KN95's but N95's don't require any fluid resistance however medical mask approved by the FDA for use in at least some healthcare settings are required to resist a small amount of liquid splatter, which is more viscous than water.
https://www.astm.org/Standards/F1862.htm
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The same with N95, only surgical N95 has hight fluid resistance test. 3M N95 dust mask won't have fluid resistance test. Like someone said, NIOSH Approved don't have requirement for fluid resistance. Only FDA Cleared Surgical N95 or Surgical Masks has fluid resistance requirement. That's why before the face mask shortage, back in Jan, everyone keep saying should buy "Surgical" face mask if possible for flu/Covid-19, etc and not the dust mask or just any (non-ASTM F2100) medical use mask.
For 3-ply mask, again only certain standard like USA Standard ASTM F2100 Level 1 2 3, China standard Surgical Mask ( YY/0469 ), Europian standard surgical fluid-resistant represented by Type R, etc, has hight fluid resistance test
In short, any face mask that didn't have the word "Surgical" on the package, then fluid resistance is hit or miss since there is no fluid resistance requirement for non-Surgical mask. But I think good manufacturer may still product high quality product using high quality material that may have some water resistance and pass the water test people try. Especially 3-ply face mask which usually didn't have stitching right in the middle of face mask so better chance of passing water test people use. While KN95 there may be stitching right in the middle which more likely cause issue with water resistance which is not part of the GB2626–2006 requirement.
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https://matters.news/@avengermojo...
Basically this is a BFE (3.0 Microns Bacteria Filtration Efficiency ) >95% Mask. It is most likely a 2D flat base with 3 layers. Basically this is considered as a regular face mask that both US and Europe has higher standard requirement then this.
Other test standards go along with this mask will include:
GB/T 15979 for one time use hygienic standard. GB/T 16886 for In-vitro Cytotoxic, Skin Irritation /Sensitization (ISO 10993)
This mask standard is a bit mood because it is BFE > 95% and PFE ( Particle Filtration Efficiency ) > 30% only. Which doesn't match another standard in the US or Europe. But it does include the fluid-resistant test and the flammable test.
These two standard could be confusing but their filterability is basically the same. The only difference is the fluid resistance test with GB19083. In the US NIOSH standard it should be called Surgical, and the Europian standard is Type R. Chinese has 3 levels from PFE KN95 > 95%, KN99 > 98% KN100> 99%. So KN95 is basically the same as N95, N99 similar to KN99 and N100 similar to KN100. Europian FFP1 starting with > 80% FFP2 > 94% and FFP3 >99% .
China only has Surgical Mask which is only 30% PFE and F2100 Level 1 is 95%, Level 2 is 98% and Level 3 is the same with hight fluid resistance. So you are highly unlikely to find ASTM 2 or 3 in the China market unless they are US-specific factory.
Europian Standard use their sharp to different the two standards so EN14683 is basically the Medical Mask with no PFE filter just like China YY/T0969 . has Type I, II, III and representing 95%, 98, 99% BFE. And EN149 is the cup sharp respirator with PFE over 80%, 94% and 99%.
The Europian standard surgical fluid-resistant represented by Type R at the end. For example, EN149 FFP2 Type IIR is basically the same as Surgical N95 and GB19083–2010 Level 1.
NIOSH (occupation health) wanted to see if NIOSH approved N95 respirators were splash resistant, even though NIOSH N95 approval doesn't require liquid resistance but for medical use, the FDA does require splash resistance for small amounts of liquid (about 2ml).
So NIOSH/CDC did a study which is summarized here:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/Researc...-Resistant [cdc.gov]
And available here:
https://www.ajicjournal.org/artic...5/abstract [ajicjournal.org]
They tested by using ASTM F1862 / F1862M, which uses synthetic blood (which is thicker than water) splashing rather than filling the mask with water.
"Medical face masks are intended to resist liquid penetration from the splatter or splashing of blood, body fluids, and other potentially infectious materials."
"This test method is used to evaluate the resistance of medical face masks to penetration by the impact of a small volume (~2 mL) of a high-velocity stream of synthetic blood."
So I don't know about KN95's but N95's don't require any fluid resistance however medical mask approved by the FDA for use in at least some healthcare settings are required to resist a small amount of liquid splatter, which is more viscous than water.
https://www.astm.org/Standards/F1862.htm
Edit: Report filed. I suggest others do the same if yours fail as well.
SMH
All single use face mask including N95 is suppose to be 1-day/1 time use. :-)
For N95, KN95, good quality 3-ply surgical mask, etc, they use meltblown fibers to filter small virus particles.
The meltblown fibers used in one-time use face mask are electrically charged to fill voids. Harmful particles/virus/etc that is too small to block are then electrostatically captured in the meltblown layers.
Everytime you use it, it will capture those particles/virus and it will slowly losing those electrostatically capture capability. So after probably 8-12 hours of use (depend on how dusty the area), should throw those one time use face mask away since it no longer able to capture those small particles/virus electrostatically. And that's also the reason you can't wash one time use face mask since the meltblown layer may be damaged from cleaning and particles may pass through.
Even if you don't wear it and leave it around, it will capture the dust/particles around it. That's why people said if you want to store it, need to store it in air tight container. Otherwise the N95 mask may still block big particles but may not be able to capture virus electrostatically anymore.
Here's the image that show what happen before and after the meltblown fiber filter dust and how small particles are electrostatically captured.
[IMG]https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jaehoon_Roh2/publication/322261178/figure/fig5/AS:777754781958144@1562442598016/Images-of-melt-brown-and-glass-fiber-media-E12-taken-before-and-after-dust-loading.png [researchgate.net]
For periodic public use while shopping and avoiding The Great Unmasked Hordes, extended use is perfectly fine (within reason).
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