Bhubaneswar, [India], April 9 (ANI): A five-layer mask has been observed to be the most effective conservation measure with minimal droplet leakage, says a study from IIT Bhubaneswar which points out that the mask and adequate ventilation are the key to curbing COVID-19 from spreading in indoor environments.
A press release from IIT Bhubaneswar said it was exploring the range and leakage of aerosol droplets from various protective measures such as face masks and shields while “breathing”.
The study was conducted by Dr Venugopal Arumuru, Assistant Professor, School of Mechanical Sciences (SMS), and his team at IIT Bhubaneswar.
The breathing patterns simulated in the study mimicked typical breathing frequencies that include standing breathing at rest and also slightly longer breaths of healthy adults involved in moderate activity such as walking.
“The study points out that the smallest droplets (diameter
He said surgical mask and face mask suits are not recommended in hospitals and other places where strict social distancing guidelines are difficult to follow.
“Droplet leakage is noticeable in these cases. A commercial N -95 mask completely prevents the droplets from leaking forward. However, the droplet leakage from the spaces between the mask and the nose is found to be significant,” says the press release.
“A five-layer mask is considered the most effective conservation measure with minimal droplet leakage,” he added.
The release said the peer-reviewed article was selected as a “Featured Article” in the Advances journal of the American Institute of Physics (AIP).
Professor RV Rajakumar, director of IIT Bhubaneswar, said the institute has contributed to various technologies and research studies relevant to COVID-19.
“Respiration as a source of virus transmission has not been sufficiently studied in the past. Our recent study is a step forward in this direction. The study highlights that commonly used protective measures like face masks and the screens are unable to prevent the leakage of droplets generated during breathing.
the leaked aerosol particles may contain the virus, which can trigger airborne transmission of COVID-19 and other similar diseases, ”he said.
“Under these circumstances, conventional measurement of the CO2 level in a confined space to assess the air quality index may not be sufficient to regulate the air flow.” New guidelines need to be formulated for deciding the flow rate of air circulation in a confined space taking into account the leakage of the aerosol particle of the protective agents. measures, ”he added. (ANI)
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