NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Evaluation of N95 respirator use with a surgical mask cover: effects on breathing resistance and inhaled carbon dioxide.

Sinkule EJ; Powell JB; Goss FL

Ann Occup Hyg 2013 Apr; 57(3):384-398

https://doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/mes068

20041734

Objective: For pandemic influenza outbreaks, the Institute of Medicine has recommended using a surgical mask cover (SM) over N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) among healthcare workers as one strategy to avoid surface contamination of the FFR which would extend its efficacy and reduce the threat of exhausting FFR supplies. The objective of this investigation was to measure breathing air quality and breathing resistance when using FFRs with US Food and Drug Administration-cleared SM and without SM. Methods: Thirty National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved FFR models with and without SM were evaluated using the NIOSH Automated Breathing and Metabolic Simulator (ABMS) through six incremental work rates. Results: Generally, concentrations of average inhaled CO2 decreased and average inhaled O2 increased with increasing O2 consumption for FFR+SM and FFR-only. For most work rates, peak inhalation and exhalation pressures were statistically higher in FFR+SM as compared with FFR-only. The type of FFR and the presence of exhalation valves (EVs) had significant effects on average inhaled CO2, average inhaled O2, and breathing pressures. The evidence suggests that placement of an SM on one type of FFR improved inhaled breathing gas concentrations over the FFR without SM; the placement of an SM over an FFR+EV probably will prevent the EV from opening, regardless of activity intensity; and, at lower levels of energy expenditure, EVs in FFR do not open either with or without an SM. Conclusions: The differences in inhaled gas concentrations in FFR+SM and FFR-only were significant, especially at lower levels of energy expenditure. The orientation of the SM on the FFR may have a significant effect on the inhaled breathing quality and breathing resistance, although the measurable inhalation and exhalation pressures caused by SM over FFR for healthcare users probably will be imperceptible at lower activity levels.

Personal-protective-equipment; Respirators; Respiratory-equipment; Face-masks; Breathing; Air-purifying-respirators; Airway-resistance; Dioxides; Infectious-diseases; Infection-control; Author Keywords: breathing resistance; effects from using N95 respirators; extending N95 respirators during influenza outbreak; inhaled carbon dioxide; inhaled oxygen; metabolic simulator; N95 respirator; respiratory protection; surgical mask; using N95 respirators with surgical or procedure masks

E.J. Sinkule, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

AOHYA3

124-38-9

20130401

Journal Article

ESinkule@cdc.gov

2013

B20121218B

3

0003-4878

NPPTL

Healthcare and Social Assistance

Annals of Occupational Hygiene

PA