Reusing N95 Masks

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  • Gcs7th

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 26, 2012
    1,280
    AGC

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    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    It’s interesting in that the report found that disinfection did not reduce the filtration performance of the mask but caused issues with the fit.



    So while 3M rightfully cannot recommend doing it it does seem possible. My method of alcohol dip seems not to cause any adverse effects physically. The mask dries out quite quickly and the straps and seal still fit tight.

    Again I would not advocate this method under normal circumstances but I have no other way to protect myself right now.

    Have you done a proper fit test to ensure it is sealing?

    The problem with filtering face pieces, you cannot fit check them.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Any mask is better than no mask just like any gun is better than no gun.

    If you have the luxury of multiple masks you can always use them in rotation because the virus only lives for a period of time (three days on plastic, etc.). For example if you had seven masks and wore one each day then you would not wear the first one again until it had sat for seven days which is probably long enough to kill any virus.

    BTW if it helps CDC found potentially viable coronavirus in cruise cabins 17 days after those cabins were vacated and prior to disinfection on the diamond princess cruise ship. Unknown if any of it WAS viable mind you. But absolutely under the right conditions it can be.

    What destroys it is desiccation or denaturing with chlorine/alcohol/heat/UV. The lower the temperature and the higher the humidity, the longer it takes to desiccate. So in a moist cool area, it can last a long time.

    Freezing will preserve it mind you. So anything going in a freezer or fridge really should be sprayed down with a bleach and water mix because the virus can survive days to years in those conditions.
     

    spoon059

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 1, 2018
    5,333
    Montgomery County police are issued 3 of these. One of the 3 is used in the fit test... so I have 2 sealed and one open. I've used my open one a couple times already. Its pathetic that we don't have a sufficient supply...
     

    CrawfishStu

    Creeper
    Dec 4, 2006
    2,336
    Crofton
    BTW if it helps CDC found potentially viable coronavirus in cruise cabins 17 days after those cabins were vacated and prior to disinfection on the diamond princess cruise ship. Unknown if any of it WAS viable mind you. But absolutely under the right conditions it can be.

    What destroys it is desiccation or denaturing with chlorine/alcohol/heat/UV. The lower the temperature and the higher the humidity, the longer it takes to desiccate. So in a moist cool area, it can last a long time.

    Freezing will preserve it mind you. So anything going in a freezer or fridge really should be sprayed down with a bleach and water mix because the virus can survive days to years in those conditions.

    This wasn't quite true about the viable coronavirus lasting 17 days. It was a Japanese scientist, not anyone from the cdc, and I believe all he claimed was that he detected it, not that it was viable.
    There was a link to the report in the wuhan thread.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    This wasn't quite true about the viable coronavirus lasting 17 days. It was a Japanese scientist, not anyone from the cdc, and I believe all he claimed was that he detected it, not that it was viable.
    There was a link to the report in the wuhan thread.

    Yes.

    He found traces of the DNA, which could be dead viruses

    And there is no confirmation from any others.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    I discovered this article today. 2016 Study by Duke University Using Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide to sterilize N95 Masks and is now beginning to use the procedure at all three of it's hospitals to help combat the shortages of masks.

    This looks promising and backed by a repitable medical organization. Here is the Link to the Article
     

    MaxVO2

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    I discovered this article today. 2016 Study by Duke University Using Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide to sterilize N95 Masks and is now beginning to use the procedure at all three of it's hospitals to help combat the shortages of masks.

    This looks promising and backed by a repitable medical organization. Here is the Link to the Article

    ****We use steamers here at work to clean and sterilize certain non-heat and moisture sensitive tools and machines, but the steamer machine only uses distilled water to reduce scale and lime buildup on everything.

    Hmm.....now that I think about it, we DO have a VHP machine, for some specialized machines that are sensitive to heat and moisture.... We don't use the machine much as the manufacturer of some of our test equipment recommends EO sterilization (Ethylene Oxide...), which would probably destroy the N95 masks electrostatic charge according to another article posted somewhere on this thread...

    I'll call the VHP machine manufacturer on Monday and see what they have to say. The chamber is small.. smaller than our Autoclave for sure. I don't think more than a couple of masks would fit in there... Hmmm.....

    Very very interesting.... Thanks for the link. I learn more here than from our dedicated tech reps that come by to sell us this stuff....:D

    Awesome link. Thanks again.
     

    gre24ene

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 6, 2012
    1,519
    I discovered this article today. 2016 Study by Duke University Using Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide to sterilize N95 Masks and is now beginning to use the procedure at all three of it's hospitals to help combat the shortages of masks.

    This looks promising and backed by a repitable medical organization. Here is the Link to the Article

    ToolAA

    This is what my department is doing. They bought several hydrogen peroxide scrubbers/vaporizers to decon our transport units. They are talking about putting our N95's in a unit and running them through a cycle, which takes 3 hours
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I discovered this article today. 2016 Study by Duke University Using Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide to sterilize N95 Masks and is now beginning to use the procedure at all three of it's hospitals to help combat the shortages of masks.

    This looks promising and backed by a repitable medical organization. Here is the Link to the Article

    I don't see the testing to ensure that they have not changed the filter media. And that it still performs to the N95 level.

    Medical people are NOT experts on respiratory protection.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    I don't see the testing to ensure that they have not changed the filter media. And that it still performs to the N95 level.

    Medical people are NOT experts on respiratory protection.


    Ok I agree I couldn’t find any documented test reporting either. This situation just sucks. I’m trying hard to keep my guys safe but there are no good solutions. We just cannot get masks. I’ve been wearing the same one for 7 days as of today.

    Do you have ANY ideas?
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Ok I agree I couldn’t find any documented test reporting either. This situation just sucks. I’m trying hard to keep my guys safe but there are no good solutions. We just cannot get masks. I’ve been wearing the same one for 7 days as of today.

    Do you have ANY ideas?

    For health care?

    For storage between uses, either hang it from a strap, touching nothing, in a clean area.

    A each end of shift, a FRESH paper or plastic bag.

    Hanging open will help it dry out. And drying out helps "kill" bacteria and viruses. And be VERY careful to never touch the clean side once it is used.

    For non-health care, it is less of an issue. If you store it in a bag, and reuse the bag, you might transfer some material, but if what you are using it for is highly toxic, you are using the wrong respirator.

    Be VERY careful buying things now. A lot of knockoffs and fake products out there. I think it is the Netherlands is having to recall about half of a large shipment for defects.

    I looked on Amazon and most of the items listed as N95 are NOT N95 certified.

    Here is the link to the NIOSH page to check if a product is actually certified:

    https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/default.html
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    There is some stuff coming out about hydrogen peroxide vapor disinfection without affecting the filtering.

    Duke University did some testing of disinfection and then tested the affect on the filtering to meet N95 standards.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    There is some stuff coming out about hydrogen peroxide vapor disinfection without affecting the filtering.

    Duke University did some testing of disinfection and then tested the affect on the filtering to meet N95 standards.


    That’s the link I posted above were you able to find evidence of testing the effectiveness yet?


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    That’s the link I posted above were you able to find evidence of testing the effectiveness yet?

    This was some work out of Duke University. And they presented in a professional association webinar. They did the testing to N95 standards after treatment.

    The problem is, large size hydrogen peroxide generators are not common. Very small ones are available in many hospitals, but this is a not a quick technique.

    Also, this would ONLY apply to the specific respirators that they tested.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    This was some work out of Duke University. And they presented in a professional association webinar. They did the testing to N95 standards after treatment.

    The problem is, large size hydrogen peroxide generators are not common. Very small ones are available in many hospitals, but this is a not a quick technique.

    Also, this would ONLY apply to the specific respirators that they tested.


    Thanks again. I appreciate the information and insight you are providing. I may tend to over simplify the problem sometimes. It’s good to have someone with experience weigh in on what they think.
     

    Tungsten

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2012
    7,230
    Elkridge, Leftistan
    I thought people were fumigating post offices during the Anthrax scare with chlorine dioxide. Does anyone know how effective that would be for a virus and if it would damage masks?

    edit - a quick google search shows it is very effective.
     

    Flametamer

    Active Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 6, 2014
    796
    Frederick County
    Necessity is the mother of invention....

    UV-C has been used for years to inactivate pathogens. I have not seen any studies that evaluate UV-C against COVID-19 (its way too soon for that), but it seems reasonable to assume that it can work since it has been proven to work on similar virus'. See the paper referenced on the 'calculations' page at the link below for one such study. (Full disclosure - I am a physicist/engineer who happens to have been a PJ in my prior life; I am neither an MD nor a microbiologist and will not play one here.)

    Here is a link to a fire department in Colorado that has done some homework and developed an innovative solution to disinfecting N-95 masks. I've been working on a similar approach for the inside of ambulances (testing yet to be done), but this could be an approach that some folks may find attractive. Their incident flux calculation is very conservative for several technical reasons, but this is not inappropriate for the application (IMHO).

    https://www.southforkfirerescue.com/covid-19

    Your life, your decisions.
     

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