Importance of Antiviral and Antibacterial Face Mask Used in Pandemics: An Overview

Community-wide mask wearing may contribute to the control of COVID-19 by reducing the amount of emission of infected saliva and respiratory droplets from individuals with subclinical or mild COVID-19. In this work, a brief review is presented on face masks and related things. First, the size of microorganisms in relation to PM2.5 and PM10 is given for an approximate estimate of the sizes of objects that needs to be filtered. In continuation, the principles of filtration of objects by the network of fibers (woven, non-woven, knitted, etc.) are given. Common fibers used for making face mask is presented along with various fabric structure and their manufacturing. Additionally, advancements like the treatment of fibers in terms of coated fabrics, nano-particle finishes, and green synthesized nano-particle coatings have been explained in view of their anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. The classification of the face masks based on their fabric make-up has been given which has been extended to classification based on the barrier properties and various efficiencies of the face masks. The characterization of face masks like particle filtration efficiency, bacterial filtration efficiency, breathing resistance, flash resistance, and flame resistance are also included