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Bahrami F, Batt T, Schudel S, Annaheim S, He W, Wang J, Rossi RM, Defraeye T. How long and effective does a mask protect you from an infected person who emits virus-laden particles: By implementing one-dimensional physics-based modeling. Front Public Health 2022; 10:991455. [PMID: 36311564 PMCID: PMC9614280 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.991455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 spreads via droplets, aerosols, and smear infection. From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, using a facemask in different locations was recommended to slow down the spread of the virus. To evaluate facemasks' performance, masks' filtration efficiency is tested for a range of particle sizes. Although such tests quantify the blockage of the mask for a range of particle sizes, the test does not quantify the cumulative amount of virus-laden particles inhaled or exhaled by its wearer. In this study, we quantify the accumulated viruses that the healthy person inhales as a function of time, activity level, type of mask, and room condition using a physics-based model. We considered different types of masks, such as surgical masks and filtering facepieces (FFPs), and different characteristics of public places such as office rooms, buses, trains, and airplanes. To do such quantification, we implemented a physics-based model of the mask. Our results confirm the importance of both people wearing a mask compared to when only one wears the mask. The protection time for light activity in an office room decreases from 7.8 to 1.4 h with surgical mask IIR. The protection time is further reduced by 85 and 99% if the infected person starts to cough or increases the activity level, respectively. Results show the leakage of the mask can considerably affect the performance of the mask. For the surgical mask, the apparent filtration efficiency reduces by 75% with such a leakage, which cannot provide sufficient protection despite the high filtration efficiency of the mask. The facemask model presented provides key input in order to evaluate the protection of masks for different conditions in public places. The physics-based model of the facemask is provided as an online application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Bahrami
- Laboratory for Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland,ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Till Batt
- Laboratory for Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Seraina Schudel
- Laboratory for Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Simon Annaheim
- Laboratory for Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Weidong He
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland,Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland,Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - René M. Rossi
- Laboratory for Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Thijs Defraeye
- Laboratory for Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland,*Correspondence: Thijs Defraeye
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Lee SE, Kim SJ, Oh KW, Lee KH. Purchase intention toward sustainable masks after COVID-19: the moderating role of health concern. FASHION AND TEXTILES 2022; 9:43. [PMCID: PMC9750731 DOI: 10.1186/s40691-022-00317-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate consumers’ intentions to purchase sustainable masks to reduce the environmental pollution caused by disposable masks in the context of COVID-19. A research model was derived based on the Value-Belief-Norm theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, and the moderating role of health concerns and environmental knowledge due to the COVID-19 pandemic were examined. Through a Korean online survey company, we collected data on sustainable masks from respondents aged from their 20 s to 50 s, living in the Korea, and a structural equation analysis was performed on the 337 valid samples. Environmental concerns and beliefs were found to have a positive impact on the purchase intention on sustainable masks. Although environmental knowledge played the role of a moderator, we found that the higher the health concern, the stronger the purchase intention. Based on these results, it is possible to derive a strategy to increase the purchase of sustainable masks and reduce the environmental pollution caused by disposable masks. A sales strategy should be implemented for groups with high health concern. In addition, since the subjective norm increases the purchase intention for sustainable masks, advertising that stimulates them will help reduce environmental pollution caused by disposal masks. In the future, it will be possible to help reduce environmental pollution not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also during other emerging pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sae Eun Lee
- Doctoral Research Associate, Human-Tech Convergence Program, Department of Clothing and Textiles, Hanyang University, 222, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763 Korea
| | - Seo Jeong Kim
- Department of Clothing and Textiles, Hanyang University, 222, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763 Korea
| | - Kyung Wha Oh
- Professor, Department of Fashion, College of Art, Chung-Ang University, 4726 Seodongdaero, Daeduckmyeon, Anseong, Kyunggi-do, 06974 Korea
| | - Kyu-Hye Lee
- Professor, Human-Tech Convergence Program, Department of Clothing and Textiles, Hanyang University, 222, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763 Korea
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