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Protective face mask: an effective weapon against SARS-CoV-2 with controlled environmental pollution

  • Nanocomposites/Nanomaterials from Recycled Waste: Applications and Advancements
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Masks are face coverings that give protection from infectious agents, airborne pathogens, bacteria, viruses, surgical fog, dust, and other chemical hazards by acting as a barrier between the wearer and the environment. In the COVID-19 pandemic, this major personal protective equipment’s became essential part of our daily life. The aim of this review is to analyze and discuss the different types of masks with their pros and cons, manufacturing procedures, evaluation criteria, and application with some of the sterilization process for reuse and smart mask. The review used a thorough examination of the literature to analyze the preventive effects of surgical, N95, smart mask, and potential environmental damage from those masks. Several studies and evidence were also examined to understand the efficiency of different mask on different environment. N95 respirators are capable of filtering out non-oil-based 95% air-born particles, and surgical masks act as a protective barrier between the wearer and the environment. The application of spoon bond and melt blown techniques in the fabrication process of those masks improves their protective nature and makes them lightweight and comfortable. But the high demand and low supply forced users to reuse and extend their use after sterilizations, even though those masks are recommended to be used once. Universal masking in the SARS-COV-2 pandemic increased the chance of environmental pollution, so the application of smart masks became essential because of their high protection power and self-sterilizing and reusing capabilities.

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Abbreviations

WHO:

World Health Organization

PPE:

Personal protective equipment

SARS-CoV-2:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

FDA:

Food and drug administration

ASTM:

American society of testing and materials

CDS:

Center for disease control and prevention

NIOSH:

National institute for occupational safety and health

OSHA:

The occupational safety and health administration

BFE:

Bacterial filtration efficiency

PFE:

Particulate filtration efficiency

VFE:

Viral filtration efficiency

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Acknowledgements

The authors are highly obliged to the Department of Pharmacy, Central University of South Bihar and Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali Vidyapith for boosting authors to upgrading their knowledge of the present work.

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  1. Shovan Ghosh and Prashansa Sharma contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Science, Central University of South Bihar, Bihar, India

    Shovan Ghosh, Vivek Dave & Akash Patel

  2. Department of Home Science, Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

    Prashansa Sharma

  3. Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali Vidyapith, Sikar, Rajasthan, 304022, India

    Arindam Kuila

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  1. Shovan Ghosh
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Contributions

Shovan Ghosh and Akash Patel did the review of literature and wrote the whole manuscript. Vivek Dave, Prashansa Sharma, and Arindam Kuila planned the work and revised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Vivek Dave.

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Highlights

• To get information about face mask and their potential to minimize the entry of airborne pathogen.

• Knowledge about significant mask kinds, and their components and manufacturing and filtration processes.

• Global influence of different masks in COVID-19 pandemic along with others airborne disease.

• Highlights of smart mask having high protection power and self-sterilizing.

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Ghosh, S., Dave, V., Sharma, P. et al. Protective face mask: an effective weapon against SARS-CoV-2 with controlled environmental pollution. Environ Sci Pollut Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-30460-5

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