What's the score on masks?

[Dodger]

.

...... will you keep saying that carbon monoxide contains particulates and the masks filter out some of this carbon monoxide?

Based on what I've been reading on the subject the past few days, I actually I think it's best to say it this way..."Breathing carbon monoxide can kill you, and the N95 (or carbon masks) can help reduce the CO you're getting in your lungs". How does that sound?

Now remember, I'm not a chemist by any stretch, but I do know when my mask is turning black there's a reason behind it. Do I really care what that reason is? Not particularly (no pun intended). What is my primary concern? Stopping a deadly contaminant from entering my lungs.

Read the link below if you wish to learn more about this topic yourself. .

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7780759/

[NitNoi]

I thought Dodger's CO claim was BS but it contains some truth.
Old style gas masks use activated carbon. Soot in exhaust gas would similarly absorb CO that can be released in the lungs.
This is why the quoted article talks about "EXPIRED" CO.
Sorry for doubting you Dodger :-(

[Dodger]

I thought Dodger's CO claim was BS but it contains some truth.
Old style gas masks use activated carbon. Soot in exhaust gas would similarly absorb CO that can be released in the lungs.
This is why the quoted article talks about "EXPIRED" CO.
Sorry for doubting you Dodger :-(

Couldn't have said it better myself...LOL

[goji]

Based on what I've been reading on the subject the past few days, I actually I think it's best to say it this way..."Breathing carbon monoxide can kill you, and the N95 (or carbon masks) can help reduce the CO you're getting in your lungs". How does that sound?

Still inaccurate. There is no "active carbon" in an N95 mask.

The N95(~FFP2) masks are usually made out of polypropylene and are designed to filter particles. The N95 masks do not filter out CO, CO2,O2 or N2.

I'm no expert on this, but even if the mask had activated carbon (which it does not), I'd be very surprised if it removed CO.
Explain that one CO + C = ????

To remove CO, you probably want a platinum catalyst at a few hundred degrees, to oxidize the CO into CO2.

Much better to ignore the CO and wear your N95/FFP2 or better still, N99/FFP3 mask for covid and PM2.5.

[goji]

(Correction: N2 should read N3)

[Dodger]

Still inaccurate. There is no "active carbon" in an N95 mask.

Who said there was?

According to what the experts are saying, both the N95 masks and carbon masks can help reduce the CO you're getting in your lungs. No one is saying that N95 masks contain active carbon. I think you may have misinterpreted what I was saying.

The important point as far as I'm concerned is the fact that N95 masks can in fact help reduce the CO you're getting in your lungs. That's what matters to me.

[goji]

According to what the experts are saying, both the N95 masks and carbon masks can help reduce the CO you're getting in your lungs.

The experts do not say that. If you have evidence of that, please post links.

[Dodger]

The experts do not say that. If you have evidence of that, please post links.

The link was already provided in post # 41. Did you bother reading it?

From the words of the experts:

"Conclusion"

"All three type of masks such as surgical mask, N95 mask, and carbon mask were effective to reduce CO levels from air pollution with the most significant was N95 and carbon mask. Fabric mask has the poorest protection from CO levels".

If you have an issue with what the experts are saying then take it up with them,.

[goji]

That report is measuring EXPIRED CO.

We are discussing INHALED CO, which is not the same thing.


The also don't give enough detail to establish if the experiment method is robust or offer any theoretical explanation for the expired CO change measured.

[christianpfc]

Now remember, I'm not a chemist by any stretch,...

But I am a chemist.

The article you quoted is dubious. "Expired CO", do they mean exhaled? I would rather take the article as proof that you can find proof for or against anything on the internet (flat earth, holocaust, aliens, moon landing, you name it).

Activated charcoal works by absorption which is mostly a physical process and works well for some pollutants, but not for CO.

To remove CO at room temperature, there are very specialized filters with complicated metal oxides that oxidize CO to CO2.

Nitrogen in air is N2, oxygen in air is O2, ozone is O3.