首页|Measuring breathability and bacterial filtration efficiency of face masks in the pandemic context: A round robin study with proficiency testing among non-accredited laboratories

Measuring breathability and bacterial filtration efficiency of face masks in the pandemic context: A round robin study with proficiency testing among non-accredited laboratories

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  • NSTL
  • Elsevier
Six Italian non-accredited laboratories participated to an interlaboratory study aimed at measuring Differential Pressure (DP) and Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) of three face-mask models using methods in-line with EN 14683 standard. Methodological non-conformities were annotated. Repeatability and reproducibility on quintuplicate samples were calculated according to ISO 5725-2. Sample stability was also assessed. Laboratories were ranked according to the total standard deviation over all samples and proficiency was evaluated using z-score according to ISO 13528. Although some non-conformities were present, performances for the DP measurements were always acceptable. One laboratory had to revise the bacterial suspension preparation for the BFE test. Overall, non-accredited laboratories working during pandemic emergency performed satisfactorily. Sample-to-sample variability impacted measurement repeatability. BFE values above 98% showed good repeatability (<1.0%) and reproducibility (<6.1%), but high BFE uncertainty was associated to community masks. Our findings suggest that relevant face-mask conformity standards should consider uncertainty of BFE and DP measurements.

Face maskUncertaintyDifferential pressureBacterial filtration efficiencyRound robinCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2SURGICAL MASKSIMPACTORS

Tessarolo, Francesco、Nollo, Giandomenico、Benedetti, Luca、Helfer, Fabrizia、Rovati, Luigi、Ferrari, Alberto、Marchetti, Giulio、Reverberi, Federico、Baglio, Salvo、Tuccitto, Nunzio、Stefani, Stefania、Stracquadanio, Stefano、Caraci, Filippo、Terrasi, Antonio、Tricomi, Alessia、Musumeci, Mario、Miraglia, Andrea、Cuttone, Giacomo、Cosentino, Sofia、Vitali, Luca Agostino、Petrelli, Dezemona、Ciancia, Sonia Ilaria、Mingoia, Marina、Castellini, Paolo、Simoni, Serena、Montalto, Luigi、Baleani, Alessia、Chiariotti, Paolo、Paone, Nicola

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Univ Trento

Azienda Prov & Serv Sanit Trento

Univ Modena & Reggio Emilia

Safe Srl

Univ Catania

Univ Cagliari

Univ Camerino

Univ Politecn Marche

Politecn Milan

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2022

10.1016/j.measurement.2021.110481

Measurement

Measurement

SCI
ISSN：0263-2241
年,卷(期)：2022.189
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