What are the standards for surgical masks? How to test whether disposable masks are qualified?

The wide variety of disposable masks on the market really makes people dazzled when choosing, and they don’t know which one is a qualified and good mask. How to test whether a disposable mask is qualified is actually a very professional thing. As long as you master it, you can distinguish it, and you will also get a sense of satisfaction from your professionalism. Why not open the following introduction to see if you have learned it?

Contents of this article

1. Implementation standards for surgical masks

2. How to test whether disposable masks are qualified

3. Does the mask protect against the sun?

Surgical mask implementation standards

The implementation standards of medical surgical masks are as follows: First, the filtration efficiency. Under the condition of air flow (30±2) L/min, the filtration efficiency of sodium chloride aerosol with a median aerodynamic diameter of (0.24±0.06) μm shall not be less than 30%. Second, the bacterial filtration efficiency. Under the specified conditions, the filtration efficiency of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538 shall not be less than 95%.

The third is the pressure difference. Under specified conditions, the pressure difference for gas exchange on the two sides of the mask should not exceed 49Pa.

Fourth, synthetic blood penetration. After 2 ml of synthetic blood is sprayed onto the outer side of the mask at a pressure of 16.0 kPa (120 mmHg), no penetration should occur on the inner side of the mask.

How to test whether disposable masks are qualified

You can check whether a disposable mask is qualified by looking at the production license number of the mask, and you can log in to the official website to check its authenticity. Another simple method is to look at the light transmittance of the mask, because the meltblown cloth has a tight structure, and qualified masks are almost opaque, while many counterfeit masks that do not contain meltblown cloth have high light transmittance.

Disposable masks are made of more than three layers of 28g non-woven fabric. The bridge of the nose is made of environmentally friendly all-plastic strips. It does not contain any metal. It is breathable and comfortable to wear, especially suitable for use in electronic factories and daily life.

Disposable masks can prevent respiratory infections to a certain extent, but cannot prevent haze. Please be careful when purchasing and choose masks that clearly state "medical surgical mask" on the outer packaging.

Disposable masks are divided into disposable three-layer masks, disposable non-woven masks, disposable four-layer masks, and disposable activated carbon masks. The disposable three-layer masks are made of two layers of non-woven fabric and filter paper.

Do masks protect against the sun?

Most masks have certain anti-UV and sun protection functions, because masks are strictly speaking a type of textile. Many textile materials, including but not limited to masks, can reduce the impact of ultraviolet rays by blocking, absorbing, scattering, and reflecting.

Darker colored masks provide better sun protection than lighter colored masks.

If you want to achieve the purpose of sun protection by wearing a mask, it is recommended to choose a darker mask.