[:en]Face Masks: the new Centrocot laboratory[:it]Maschere facciali: al via il nuovo laboratorio a Centrocot[:]
[:en] According to Grand View Research’s report on the study of the face mask market from 2020 to 2027, the compound annual growth rate is expected to increase by 53.0% to $23.8 billion. European and international legislation classifies facial masks into different types and defines the minimum requirements: – Community face masks in Italy are standardized by UNI/Pdr 90.1:2020. They are classified neither as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) nor as medical devices. This regulation was introduced during the pandemic to ensure adequate protection of the respiratory to the population, in the face of the difficulty of finding facial masks due to high demand. They also include specific types designed for sportsmen and women and for children (no younger than 3 years of age). – Face masks for medical use (surgical) are standardized by UNI EN 14683:2019 + AC. Their purpose is the protection of the patient and healthcare personnel from infectious agents and splashes of potentially contaminated liquids. With the Covid-19 emergency, through DL No. 18 of 17/3, their use was also allowed to the population. – The half-masks and quarter-masks are standardized by UNI EN 140:2020. Their function is to provide adequate protection of the respiratory tract against gases and dust and they are usually equipped with valves. – Dust filtering half-masks are standardized by UNI EN 149:2001 +A1. They are designed to protect the airways against dust and aerosols both solid and liquid. On the basis of filtering efficiency and total and maximum inward leakage, they are classified in three types: FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3. The ones that have a greater protective capacity are FFP3, with a filtering efficiency of 99%, against 80% of FFP1 and 94% of FFP2. In the world these masks are classified through different legislations. The European standard for dust filter half-masks is FFP2, while for the USA it is N95 and for China KN95. The essential role that face masks play in the daily life of each of us has led Centrocot to equip its laboratories with test instruments for the determination of the main characteristics of the materials to be used for the construction of face masks. In this way will be performed the main analysis required by UNI EN 14683:2019, in order to verify the functional conformity of each mask in the medical field. Among the requirements are the Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE), determination of respirability (differential pressure), microbial cleaning and spray resistance. Compliance with the requirements is essential as it ensures the correct efficiency of face masks and therefore the protection of the wearer. In addition to the development of methods for face masks, the method for the determination of particle release (linting) required for all textile materials entering the operating rooms as medical devices has also been developed. With this new method Centrocot is now able to perform all the tests required by the product standard UNI EN 13795 concerning suits, cloths and surgical gowns for operating rooms. For information: Dr. Gianni Tanchis, Textile Microbiology Laboratory Manager Authors: Jessica Barizza and Aiman Edres Students of the course “Expert for research and innovation in the textile sector” provided by Centrocot within the training project “FutureTEX: the circular, bio and digital textile of the future”. Gianni Tanchis Head of Textile Microbiology Laboratory Secondo il report della Grand View Research, riguardante lo studio del mercato delle maschere facciali dal 2020 al 2027, si prevede un incremento del tasso annuo di crescita composto del 53,0% raggiungendo un valore pari a 23,8 miliardi di dollari. La legislazione europea e internazionale classifica le maschere facciali in differenti tipologie e ne definisce i requisiti minimi necessari: Il ruolo essenziale che le maschere facciali ricoprono nella quotidianità di ciascuno di noi ha spinto Centrocot ad attrezzare i propri laboratori con strumentazioni di prova per la determinazione delle principali caratteristiche dei materiali da utilizzare per la costruzione delle maschere facciali. Verranno così eseguite le principali analisi previste dalla normativa UNI EN 14683:2019, al fine di verificare la conformità funzionale di ciascuna maschera in ambito medicale. Tra i requisiti richiesti ritroviamo l’Efficienza di Filtrazione Batterica (BFE), la determinazione della respirabilità (pressione differenziale), la pulizia microbica e la resistenza agli spruzzi. Il rispetto dei requisiti è indispensabile in quanto garantisce la corretta efficienza delle maschere facciali e quindi la protezione di chi le indossa. Oltre allo sviluppo dei metodi relativi alle maschere facciali, è stato sviluppato anche il metodo per la determinazione del rilascio particellare (linting) richiesto per tutti i materiali tessili che entrano nelle sale operatorie come dispositivi medicali. Con questo nuovo metodo Centrocot oggi è in grado di eseguire al suo interno tutte le prove richieste dalla norma di prodotto UNI EN 13795 relativa alle tute, ai teli e ai camici chirurgici per le sale operatorie. Per informazioni: Dott. Gianni Tanchis, Responsabile Laboratorio Microbiologia Tessile Autori: Jessica Barizza e Aiman Edres Allievi del corso “Esperto per la ricerca e innovazione nel settore tessile” erogato da Centrocot nell’ambito del Progetto formativo “FutureTEX: il tessile circolare, bio e digitale del futuro” Gianni Tanchis Responsabile Laboratorio Microbiologia Tessile With the spread of Covid-19, several international organizations such as WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Center for Disease Control) have suggested the use of face masks to stem the current pandemic. This has led to an increase in their demand on the entire global market which, in the first quarter of 2020, exceeded a value of US$74.90 billion.
Con la diffusione del Covid-19, diverse organizzazioni internazionali come l’OMS (Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità) e il CDC (Center for Disease Control) hanno suggerito l’uso delle maschere facciali per arginare la pandemia in corso. Questo ha portato ad un aumento della loro richiesta sull’intero mercato globale che, nel primo trimestre del 2020, ha superato un valore di 74,90 miliardi di dollari statunitensi.