Safety and structural integrity of N95/PFF2 respirators decontamination.

Autor: Coelho WEGS; Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil., Perrechil F; Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil., Pedreira MLG; Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil., Lopes JL; Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil., Santos MVLD; Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil., Gabrieloni MC; Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil., Perfeito JA; Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil., Moraes MA; Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil., Taminato M; Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: mtaminato@unifesp.br.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: American journal of infection control [Am J Infect Control] 2021 Oct; Vol. 49 (10), pp. 1221-1226. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Jul 03.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.06.018
Abstrakt: Background: COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, an emerging respiratory pathogen. The work environment represents a high-risk factor for health professionals. Given the scarcity of protective personal equipment due to global demand, decontamination and reuse studies should be carried out. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of a method of decontamination of N95/PFF2 respirators, especially regarding structural integrity.
Methods: N95/PFF2 respirators were subjected to hydrogen peroxide decontamination and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Seven respirators of the same brand and lot were used, one being a control and the other six subjected to decontamination process. As for the sealing, a qualitative test was applied, in order to identify the changes in the structure that could damage the sealing of respirators.
Results: Indicated that the fiber morphology in all layers was not affected by the six decontamination cycles. Also, the thermal stability in the different layers was very similar. Fit testing showed that the respiradors submitted to all cycles of decontamination were approved.
Conclusions: Thus, it is possible to conclude that the hydrogen peroxide decontamination method is effective, since it does not alter the physical properties of the respirators.
(Copyright © 2021 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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