Is an Anion Generating Face Mask the Ultimate Solution for Airborne Pollutants?



Abstract Views
631

Downloads
511

Citations

Share

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##

Submitted Mar 26, 2021
Published Apr 16, 2021
10.24018/ejmed.2021.3.2.784

Abstract viewed = 631 times

Table of Contents

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##

Airborne negatively charged ions have long been used for cleaning spaces by removing dust particles and stunting bacterial, fungal, and viral growth. Likewise, the ongoing pandemic has made the use of face masks inevitable. A novel concept has been established by integrating the benefits of negatively charged air ions with the advantages of conventional facemasks to tackle the current situation and offer additional advantages as well. The newly devised concept can be used by any individual who can wear a mask but will be especially useful for healthcare workers, infected individuals and those concerned about the possibility of inhaling harmful airborne particles. This new facemask concept may be crucial in reducing the risk of airborne diseases and is a far better choice in adequate protection as opposed to the standard single or multi layered cloth mask. This new mask concept is simple, cost effective, and appears to perform extraordinarily well. It requires no outside power source and is even washable and reusable. It is also remarkably comfortable and can be designed so that one size fits most adults.

Keywords: Anion Face Mask, Cloth mask, Negative ion face mask, TENG, Self-powered mask

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

  1. S. Y. Wong and B. H. Tan, “Megatrends in infectious diseases: the next 10 to 15 years,” Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 188–194, 2019.
     Google Scholar
  2. Fernstrom, A. and M. Goldblatt, Aerobiology and its role in the transmission of infectious diseases. Journal of pathogens, 2013.
     Google Scholar
  3. Gammon, J. and J. Hunt, A review of isolation practices and procedures in healthcare settings. British Journal of Nursing, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 137–140, 2018.
     Google Scholar
  4. Seto, W., Airborne transmission and precautions: facts and myths. Journal of Hospital Infection, vol. 89, no. 4, pp. 225–228, 2015.
     Google Scholar
  5. M. Xie and Q. Chen, “Insight into 2019 novel coronavirus -- an updated interim review and lessons from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV,” International Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 94, pp. 119–124, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  6. W.-j. Guan, Z.-y. Ni, Y. Hu et al., “Clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 in China,” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 382, no. 18, pp. 1708–1720, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  7. S. G. Benzell, A. Collis, and C. Nicolaides, "Rationing social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic: transmission risk and social benefits of U.S. locations," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 117, no. 26, pp. 14642–14644, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  8. D. K. Chu, E. A. Akl, S. Duda et al., "Physical distancing, face masks, and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis," The Lancet, vol. 395, no. 10242, pp. 1973–1987, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  9. J. W. Tang, T. J. Liebner, B. A. Craven, and G. S. Settles, “A schlieren optical study of the human cough with and without wearing masks for aerosol infection control,” Journal of the Royal Society Interface, vol. 6, Supplement 6, pp. S727–S736, 2009. [10] C. C. Leung, T. H. Lam, and K. K. Cheng, “Mass masking in the COVID-19 epidemic: people need guidance,” The Lancet, vol. 395, no. 10228, p. 945, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  10. D. He, S. Zhao, Q. Lin et al., “The relative transmissibility of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections among close contacts,” International Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 94, pp. 145–147, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  11. Z. Gao, Y. Xu, C. Sun et al., “A systematic review of asymptomatic infections with COVID-19,” Journal of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infection, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  12. M. van der Sande, P. Teunis, and R. Sabel, "Professional and homemade face masks reduce exposure to respiratory infections among the general population," PLoS One, vol. 3, no. 7, article e2618, 2008.
     Google Scholar
  13. S. D. Rubbo and L. R. Abbott, “Filtration efficiency of surgical masks: a new method of evaluation,” Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 80–83, 1968.
     Google Scholar
  14. N. H. L. Leung, D. K. W. Chu, E. Y. C. Shiu et al., “Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks,” Nature Medicine, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 676–680, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  15. S. E. Eikenberry, M. Mancuso, E. Iboi et al., “To mask or not to mask: modeling the potential for face mask use by the general public to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic,” Infectious Disease Modelling, vol. 5, pp. 293–308, 2020.
     Google Scholar
  16. Krueger, A.P. and E.J. Reed, Biological impact of small air ions. Science, vol. 4259, no. 193, pp. 1209-1213, 1976.
     Google Scholar
  17. Frederick, Edward R. "Some effects of electrostatic charges in fabric filtration." Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association vol. 24, no. 12, pp. 1164-1168, 1974.
     Google Scholar
  18. J. Bailar, D.S. Burke, L. Brosseau, H. Cohen, E. Gallagher, K. Gensheimber. Reusability of Facemasks during an Influenza Pandemic Institute of Medicine, National Academies Press, Washington [D.C.] (2006).
     Google Scholar
  19. A. Konda, A. Prakash, G.A. Moss, M. Schmoldt, G.D. Grant, S. Guha. Aerosol filtration efficiency of common fabrics used in respiratory cloth masks.ACS Nano (2020).
     Google Scholar
  20. P. P. Tsai, H. Schreuder-Gibson, and P. Gibson, “Different electrostatic methods for making electret filters,” Journal of Electrostatics, vol. 54, no. 3-4, pp. 333–341, 2002.
     Google Scholar
  21. G. Liu, J. Nie, C. Han et al., “Self-powered electrostatic adsorption face mask based on a triboelectric nanogenerator,” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 7126–7133, 2018.
     Google Scholar
  22. Kim, Y.S., et al., Application of air ions for bacterial de-colonization in air filters contaminated by aerosolized bacteria. Science of the total environment. vol. 409, no. 4, pp. 748-755, 2011.
     Google Scholar
  23. Lee, S.-G., et al., One-pass antibacterial efficacy of bipolar air ions against aerosolized Staphylococcus epidermidis in a duct flow. Journal of Aerosol Science. vol. 69, pp. 71-81, 2014.
     Google Scholar
  24. Fletcher, L.A., et al., Bactericidal action of positive and negative ions in air. BMC microbiology. vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 32, 2007.
     Google Scholar
  25. Kawamoto, S., et al., Decrease in the allergenicity of Japanese cedar pollen allergen by treatment with positive and negative cluster ions. International archives of allergy and immunology, 2006. 141(4): p. 313-321.
     Google Scholar
  26. Palti, Y., E. De Nour, and A. Abrahamov, The effect of atmospheric ions on the respiratory system of infants. Pediatrics, 1966. 38(3): p. 405-411.
     Google Scholar
  27. Jiajie, L., et al. Study on air anion concentration distribution in Beidaihe, China. in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2019. IOP Publishing.
     Google Scholar
  28. Giannini, A., B. Jones, and R. Loiselle, Reversibility of serotonin irritation syndrome with atmospheric anions. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 1986. 47(3): p. 141.
     Google Scholar
  29. Goldstein, N., Reactive oxygen species as essential components of ambient air. Biochemistry (Moscow), 2002. 67(2): p. 161-170.
     Google Scholar
  30. English, J., The positive health benefits of negative ions. Nutri Rev, 2013. 28. MacIntyre, C.R., et al., A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers. BMJ open, 2015. 5(4): p. e006577.
     Google Scholar
  31. Ignelzi, R., Health Focus: Ways to Control Allergies. Network Journal, 1996: p. 15.
     Google Scholar
  32. Gefter, P. Biological aspects of clean-room ionization. in 2002 Electrical Overstress/Electrostatic Discharge Symposium. 2002. IEEE.
     Google Scholar