THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT DISPOSABLE PM2.5 MASK FILTERS

Before COVID-19 existed in the world, barely anyone heard of PM2.5. After COVID-19 became a pandemic in 2020, people readily stocked up on PM2.5 mask filters as emergency supplies just as they would stock up on toilet paper, food and water. But what is PM2.5?

WHAT IS PM2.5?

"PM" stands for the term "particulate matter" and 2.5 refers to the size of the pollutant in micrometer. PM2.5 is defined by the US EPA as an air-suspended mixture of both solid and liquid particles that are two and one half microns or less in diameter. "Micron" (also known as micrometer or also noted with the symbol µm) is how microscopic particles are measured. Similarly "inch" is how an object is measured, "pound" is how weight is measured, "mile" is how distance is measured, etc. To put things into perspective, human hair has a diameter of 50-70 µm and a grain of sand has a diameter of 90 µm so a particle of less than 2.5µm is extremely small in comparison and can only be seen with an electron microscope.

WHAT IS PM2.5 MASK FILTER?

PM2.5 mask filter is a small disposable insert that goes between the front layer and back layer of a cloth face mask for added filtration from inhaling harmful particles in the air into the body. Our face masks all comes with a pocket opening on the backside of the face mask to insert the PM2.5 filter through. Each filter consists of five layers of of three non-woven materials as follows:

• Layer 1: Non-woven layer of spun-bound polyester material
• Layer 2: Melt-blown layer of non-woven polypropylene
• Layer 3: Carbon-activated layer
• Layer 4: Melt-blown layer of non-woven polypropylene
• Layer 5: Non-woven layer of spun-bound polyester material

WHERE DOES PM2.5 COME FROM?

Particles are released from a variety of sources from both indoors and outdoors in the form of liquids, gases, or solids and are invisible to the naked eyes. From indoors, it comes smoking, cooking, buring candles or logs at fireplace, using kerosene heaters, diffusing essential oils, cleaning with common chemical products, using hairsprays, aerosol room freshers or deodorant, etc. From outdoors, there are hundreds of sources air pollutants but the main contributors that increase the levels of particulate matter are from vehicles, power generators, industrial and agricultural emissions, the manufacture and distribution of chemicals, forest fires, and so much more.

The newest particles in the air is the COVID-19 virus. They are released into the air through droplets or tiny particles called aerosols when an infected person with the virus coughs, sneezes, or talks. Therefore wearing a face mask with a PM2.5 mask filter can lessen the chance of contracting the virus.