Testing Fabric and Mask Particle Filtration Efficacy Against Durability, Distance, and BPM

Overview

Ms. Gail Ishimoto (Kamehameha Schools) Since the rise of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, face masks have been widely accredited with decreasing the transmission of aerosol and respiratory droplets and slowing the spread of the virus. This has caused demand for surgical masks like the N95 to skyrocket and a plethora of homemade mask options to enter the marketplace. This project aims to test the efficacy of various masks/fabrics against coughing particulates, general wear, and aerobic activity to ultimately determine which masks/fabrics are the most effective at preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. All experiments used a 532nm wide-beam green laser and a negative-planoconcave, cylindrical lens, which highlighted droplets. In, Experiment 1, masks/fabrics were tested after frequent use for a year. Experiment 2 tested only surgical masks to differentiate between real vs. fake masks. Experiment 3 analyzed mask efficacy over long distances (6ft and 9ft). Finally, Experiment 4 used a heart rate monitor to test filtration efficacy of each mask/fabric as BPM increased. It was found that most face masks, excluding the neck gaiter, blocked and filtered more than 90% of particulates. Particle emissions were directly linked to higher BPMs, but most masks/fabrics maintained filtration efficacy. Additionally, nearly all masks were effective at both long distances and despite frequent use, and fake surgical masks performed slightly worse than real ones. Moreover, steri-wrap and kapa fabric were the most comparable to the N95, as a single layer of either fabric boasted a nearly identical filtration efficacy to an N95 in each of the four experiments.

Competition history

• JSHS 2022 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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