Alyne R. de Araujo¹, Lívio C. C. Nunes², Karla C. B. F. Oliveira², Maria G. F. M. Carvalho², Juliana C. Cardoso³, Patrícia Severino^3,4, Mônica F. R. Soares⁵, Eliana B. Souto^6,7*, Gildário D. Lima^1*

¹ Federal University of Delta of Parnaíba, 64202-020, Parnaíba-PI, Brazil

² Federal University of Piauí, 60400-000, Teresina-PI, Brazil

³ University of Tiradentes, 49010-390, Aracaju-SE, Brazil

⁴ Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States

⁵ Federal University of Pernambuco, 50741-000, Recife-PE, Brazil

⁶ University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

⁷ University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal

*   Correspondence: Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo. (E.B.S.); Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo. (GDS),

Received: date; Accepted: date; Published: date

Abstract: The Respiratory Protection Equipment (RPE) used by health professionals consists of an essential device to prevent infectious diseases, especially those caused by biological agents, such as the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The current epidemiological panorama is worrying, and the context of creation and production of the mask emerges as an alternative to RPE to face the public health crisis worldwide. The aim of this work is to present low-cost alternative as a filter FFP2-like for reusable respirator face mask. This study presents the comparison of different cellulose-based filtering materials performed by retention test, time saturation test, aerosol penetration test, nanoparticle (~140 nm) filtration test, bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE), materials morphology analyzed and usability. The reusable respirator face mask used in this study is an open-source innovation, using 3D printing, available for free download in three sizes through the website https://tron-edu.com/mascara/. Cotton disc proved to be the best filter material for the reusable mask, with satisfactory results and similar to the performance shown by the type N95 mask. The cotton disc ensured effectiveness over 6 hours of use, and after that, the reusable respirator face mask (here, Delfi-TRON^®) needed to be sanitized and replenish with a new a cotton disc. The selected filter was shown to be a low-cost alternative biodegradable and biocompatible after preliminary analyzes of filtration efficiency.

Keywords: respiratory protection equipment; respirator face mask; reusable mask; filter material; filter FFP2-like; health professionals