Importance of having a certified N95/N99 filter in face mask! We would like to give you a better idea about what kind of pollution masks you should buy. And whether the mask will be fit for the purpose. For that, I will give a short introduction about N95 face masks. Followed by a description of how an N95 and/or N99 filter is built. And lastly, an explanation of what is the use of the activated carbon cotton in the filter. In the interest of simplicity, I will use the word “filter”. This will include both, or, as a matter of fact, any filter that contains activated carbon. What is actually an N95 mask? N95 stands for nothing else than a percentage number. In our case, N95 means that at least 95% of the particles are being filtered out while breathing through the mask. The particle sizes that are being filtered out are defined behind the letters ‘PM’ (= Particulate Matter), ie. PM 10, PM 2.5 or PM 0.3. At the time of writing, these are the available filtering efficiencies available. The title of the product should mention the particle size (eg. PM 10) after the filter efficiency (eg. N95). Stay away from any mask that does not provide a sufficient protection. For example, a mask which does not come with a certified filter. Masks with a filter efficiency of at least 95% are used to safeguard your health from the adverse impacts of air pollution, dust, and smog. But these masks can also used to prevent spreading of flus or influenza such as swine flu, avian flu, bird flu, or any other airborne disease. They help protecting the wearer of the mask as well as the surrounding people to not spread or contract the flu, respectively. Ensure to regularly wash your mask if you use it for the latter purpose. It removes the bacteria from the cloth.
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