N95 vs P95 vs R95: Which Air Pollution Face Masks to Choose

With increasing Air Pollution levels and the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus, people are panic buying face up masks. However, most people don't know the mask they are buying and whether those masks will be constructive or not. So, in this article, nosotros volition compare the most pop face mask types and allow you know their features and shortcomings. We will also hash out if these masks can help you during the COVID-19 pandemic. And so, here are the different masks-type bachelor in the market and their features.

What Air Pollution Face Masks You Should Buy

Earlier we begin, let the states start talk over what we mean by air pollution masks and how they work.

What are Face Masks and How They Work?

Face up Masks as the name suggests are masks that encompass your nose and oral fissure. The masks filter out pollutants when you breathe through them. Thus, ensuring that you lot are breathing clean and purified air. Most air pollution masks are fabricated of different layers. Each layer is designed for stopping a different pollutant. The three main filters are:

Primary filter – Information technology'southward the outer-layer. Its work is to stop all the big particles such equally grit and pollen. While it can terminate PM10 particulate matter, it cannot remove PM2.5.
Particle filter – The 2nd layer is the particle filter. It's there to stop the smaller pollutants such as PM2.5.
Carbon filter – Some high-stop pollution masks also contain an activated carbon filter that filters out the gaseous pollutants that cannot exist trapped by either primary or particle filter.

"PM10 and PM2.5 refer to particulate matters that are 10 micrometers and two.five micrometers in size. Since these particulates are then small, they stay in the air for a long time and can easily pass through our nasal cavity and accumulate in our lungs causing breathing problems, asthma, and even prolonged heart and lung diseases."

So, depending on the filter layers in your face-mask, your protection level will be dissimilar. Too, when at dwelling, air purifiers are far ameliorate option than face masks. At present, that you know how air pollution masks work, permit'due south get to our mask types.

Types of Air Pollution Face Masks

Surgery Masks (Face Masks)

Surgery masks are simple face up masks virtually people use (run across picture below). Surgery masks are often made in different thicknesses and are designed simply to protect you lot against contact and liquid. They are there to provide a bulwark between your mouth and nose and surroundings. A good quality surgery mask if worn properly can help block droplets, splashes, and splatter that may contain germs.

surgerey

Merely that'due south all it tin do. It cannot stop smaller particles resulting from sneezes or air pollutants like PM particles and gaseous air pollutants. And so, it makes no sense to wear these masks. They merely bring a imitation sense of protection. It'southward even more true for the over-the-counter masks we purchase as they are non put through any standard checks.

N95 Air Masks

N95 air masks are the basic air pollution masks that everyone should article of clothing for protection against air pollution. Information technology can filter 95% of all air pollutants including some office of PM2.5 pollutants. But this cannot protect you lot against oil-based pollutants. A good affair about these masks is that you lot tin wash them and use them for six months before you lot need to replace them. N95 masks are available in several designs. When shopping for this mask, choose one with a carve up air valve for exhaled air. This volition prevent the edifice of moisture and fogging of spectacles.

N95

N99 and N100 masks

These are premium masks and can filter particles similar PM2.5 with 99% and 99.97% efficiency. They are great for people living in highly polluted cities like New Delhi. If you lot cannot find these masks, buy at least the N95 mask. Also, like N95, these masks are not expert against oil-based pollutants, so keep that in mind.

N99

P95 Masks

If you want total protection, you lot should buy the P95 masks. The major divergence between the P-serial and N-series masks is that the erstwhile tin can cease the oil-based pollutants while the latter cannot. Nevertheless, this as well ways that P95 masks are plush, not readily available, and require replacement after just 40 hours of employ. That's why these masks are meant for industrial usage and are not recommended for everyday utilize.

p95

R95 Masks

The R-series of masks are somewhere between the N-series and P-series. Unlike N-series masks, they are oil resistant but they are not oil proof like the P-series. So R95 tin stop 95% of particulate matter and some oil-based pollutants.

R95

These are the main masks types. If you await at the masks' name, you might have realized that the numbers and messages stand for specific properties. In the table below, I have concisely explained everything.

Type	Meaning
Northward	Not Oil Resistant (Only stops Airborne Particulate)
R	Oil Resistant (Stops Airborne Particulate also as oil-based pollutants to some extent)
P	Oil Proof (Stops Airborne Particulate likewise equally oil-based pollutants )
95	Stops 95% of Airborne Particles
99	Stops 99% of Airborne Particles
100	Stops 99.99% of Airborne Particles

So, those are the mask types that you can buy for protecting yourself against air pollution. If you don't remember the dissimilar mask types, just retrieve the table, and information technology will help you lot figure out the mask you are ownership.

Can The Confront Masks Protect You Against COVID-19

Ane of the biggest questions that I have seen people ask is whether these masks can protect a person against COVID-19. Well, the short answer is no. As I accept mentioned above, the surgery masks cannot stop smaller droplets that people release during sneezing, and hence, you tin still inhale and contract COVID-19 while wearing the mask.

But what about air pollution masks? Well, the affair is that COVID-19 is non only spreading person-to-person but also surface-to-person. So, even if your mask tin stop the virus when inhaling (and that's a big if), the virus will remain stuck to your mask. And when you lot affect the mask, it volition transfer to your hands, and from your easily to your confront when yous touch it.

Covid-19 prevention

And then, to be extra careful, use sanitizer or launder hands whenever you touch your mask. That's why information technology'south all the same a better option to isolate yourself if yous want to protect yourself. Masks can assist you stop spreading COVID-nineteen to other people if you lot take already contracted the virus. But again, the best selection is to self-quarantine yourself and seek professional person medical aid.

Cull the Best Air Pollution Mask for You

I hope this article, helped you in finding out the all-time air pollution face mask yous can buy for yourself. Call up, only masks cannot protect you against COVID-19. You volition have to take all the other precautions also. The best way is to self-isolate and wash hands. If you still have any confusion, ask your questions in the comments below, and I will answer them.