Modified full-face snorkel mask as COVID-19 personal protective equipment: Quantitative results

Kyle Nicholson; Ashley Henke-Adams; Daniel M Henke; Alexxai V Kravitz; Hiram A Gay

doi:10.1016/j.ohx.2021.e00185

Modified full-face snorkel mask as COVID-19 personal protective equipment: Quantitative results

HardwareX. 2021 Apr:9:e00185. doi: 10.1016/j.ohx.2021.e00185. Epub 2021 Feb 25.

Authors

Kyle Nicholson¹, Ashley Henke-Adams², Daniel M Henke³, Alexxai V Kravitz⁴, Hiram A Gay⁵

Affiliations

¹ McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, United States.
² Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO, United States.
³ Henke Engineering, LLC, Festus, MO, United States.
⁴ Departments of Psychiatry, Anesthesiology, and Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
⁵ Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.

Abstract

The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Adapting commercially available full-faced snorkel masks has been proposed as an alternative to narrow the gap in PPE. An advantage of the full-faced snorkel mask design is that it serves two critical purposes: eye and face protection, and high quality air filtration to protect against SARS-CoV-2. We performed quantitative testing on various full-faced snorkel masks with 3D printed adapters that accept commercially available particulate filters, and report on a design that passed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) full-facepiece respirator standards.

Keywords: 3D printed; 3M filter; Adapter; Bayonet connection; Commercial air filter; Face shield; Fit factor; N95; OSHA; P100; P95; Quantitative fit testing; SARS-CoV-2.