title: Effectiveness of facemasks for pediatric populations against submicron-sized aerosols.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the event of a public-health threat involving bioaerosols, such as a terrorist attack or pandemic, options for devices to protect the pediatric population are limited. One strategy involves deployment of facemasks meant for the pediatric population, although protection against bioaerosols was not an intended use of such masks and little is known about their effectiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We chose 3 brands of facemasks for pediatric use for characterizing penetration. To validate our experimental technique, 2 N95 respirator brands were also tested. All barriers were subjected to neutralized polydispersed sodium chloride aerosols, and their intrinsic penetration was evaluated in the submicron size range at different flow rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, the N95 brands had low penetration (5% or less) at the highest flow rates. However, for the facemasks for pediatric use, penetration varied significantly amongst brands at the highest flow rates (~15%->50%). Studies with isopropanol-dipped respirators and facemasks demonstrated that not all brands of facemasks for pediatric use have electret layers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our bench tests suggest that the intrinsic penetration through facemasks for pediatric use can be high in the submicron size range. These data can be used in risk-assessment models to determine the extent to which facemasks for pediatric use reduce the likelihood of infection in emergency situations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Mechanics, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD. Electronic address: Suvajyoti.Guha@fda.hhs.gov.
authors.forename: Suvajyoti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guha
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Mechanics, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mejía-Alfaro
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Mechanics, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD.
authors.forename: Prasanna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hariharan
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Mechanics, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD.
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D008397:Masks; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols
keywords: Bioterror; N95; Pandemics; Respirators; Surgical masks