I’ve heard a lot of anti-maskers use the argument that since we breathe out CO2, it will become trapped in the mask and is dangerous to breathe back in.
Obviously, this isn’t the case, because doctors wear their masks for hours and hours on end while doing surgeries. However, I am wondering, how does it work?
In: Biology
Just to add, N95 and proper surgical type masks are made of non woven polypropylene which has a static charge and acts like a magnet, attracting and holding minute particles. The N95’s are also treated with a citric acid and copper solution which kills bacteria and viruses. This is why it’s not a good idea to wash them, as it removes the static and the copper/citric treatment, making them less effective. Instead, the simplest way to sterilise both types(as developed by hospitals desperate to prolong their mask supply) is to heat them, either dry or in a closed container with a few drops of water on a piece of kitchen roll, at 60C for an hour. This kills coronavirus without damaging the masks.
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