Shake the mask before wearing it? Are dyed masks unsafe? The thing about masks...

　　China News Service, Guangzhou, June 6 (Reporter Xu Qingqing) Is the disinfection residue of masks carcinogenic?

Is dyeing harmful?

Is the higher the protection level the better?

... The Consumer Council of Guangdong Province released the results of the comparison test of masks commonly used by consumers on the 6th, answering consumers' doubts about masks.

　　Masks are one of the important products for preventing respiratory diseases. With the normalization of epidemic prevention and control, masks have become the most necessary and most used items in people's lives.

In order to adapt to consumer demand, there are many brands, types and prices of mask products on the market.

In order to help consumers understand the quality of mask products in the market, purchase them scientifically, and use them correctly, the Guangdong Provincial Consumer Council recently conducted a comparative test on masks commonly used by consumers, and commissioned a third-party agency to conduct testing.

　　In response to the questions that consumers are most concerned about, whether the disinfection residues of masks may cause cancer, whether the dyeing is harmful, and whether the higher the protection level, the better, this comparison test also gave the answer.

The mask has disinfection residue, should you shake it before wearing it?

　　In response to the statement that you should shake the mask before wearing it, otherwise it may cause cancer, mainly because some masks use ethylene oxide with a certain degree of toxicity when disinfecting.

But in fact, ethylene oxide itself is very volatile, and the mask will be analyzed for 7 to 14 days after production. When consumers use it, there is little possibility of residues and health hazards.

Among the 30 samples, 10 models are sterilized by ethylene oxide, and their residues meet the requirements of corresponding national standards or industry standards, and consumers can choose them with confidence.

Although printed and dyed masks look good, can they be used with confidence?

　　In order to answer the doubts of consumers, the mask samples of this comparative test cover pure white, pure blue, pure black, printing, festival and other styles.

The test results showed that except for 3 pure white samples, the remaining 27 dyed samples were not detected with decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amine dyes.

At the same time, many consumers are worried about the problem of formaldehyde exceeding the standard. No free formaldehyde was detected in the 30 samples of this comparative test.

The standard of children's masks is higher, how is the overall performance?

　　As a special group of children, my country's children's mask standards are stricter than adults' masks.

The test results show that under the high standards, the overall performance of children's masks is not satisfactory.

Among the 10 samples, there are 8 models of ventilation resistance, 2 models of particle filtration efficiency, 1 model of PH value, and 1 model of mask belt breaking strength that do not meet the recommended standards. There are only 2 models with a five-star comprehensive evaluation. Be more cautious.

The higher the level of mask protection, the better?

The more expensive the better?

　　Different types of adult masks were specially purchased for this comparison test, including 8 types of medical surgical masks, 8 types of disposable medical masks, and 4 types of civilian protective masks. The unit price ranges from 0.1 yuan/piece to 1.52 yuan/piece.

From the test results, both medical masks and non-medical masks performed well in terms of bacterial filtration efficiency, particle filtration efficiency and other filtration performance. The prices of the 30 samples were not necessarily related to the performance of the indicators, while the prices in offline stores or pharmacies were generally high. On the online platform, consumers can choose according to their actual needs and needs.

　　The Consumer Council of Guangdong Province reminds consumers to pay attention to the following issues when choosing masks:

　　(1) The expiration date of the product cannot be ignored.

Generally, masks are valid for two years. When purchasing, pay attention to check the production date and expiration date. It is not recommended to buy and hoard mask products in large quantities to avoid unsafe use after the expiration date.

In addition, try to buy through formal channels, choose well-known brands, and refuse to buy products that use no manufacturer or brand model.

　　(2) Choose the type according to different uses and needs.

Generally speaking, the higher the protective performance of the mask, the greater the impact on comfort.

Ordinary consumers wearing disposable flat masks can basically meet the daily protection requirements, but if they are used indoors in densely populated or high-risk places, they should choose protective masks with high filtration performance (KN90, KN95, etc.); children, the elderly, people with People with respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases should not wear masks with high protective performance such as KN95 and KN100 for a long time to avoid accidents such as hypoxia and dizziness.

　　(3) It is not recommended to buy "sterile" masks at high prices.

There are two types of disposable masks on the market: sterilized (or sterile) and non-sterile. Sterilized masks are mainly suitable for places where the microbial environment is strictly controlled, such as ICU, operating room, etc.

Some mask products are sold at high prices to consumers with the selling points of "sterilization" and "sterility", but the test found that the key microbial indicators of non-sterile masks all meet the standard requirements, and they have good filtration performance for bacteria-containing particles.

Therefore, ordinary consumers can use non-sterile masks for daily protection, and it is not recommended to buy sterile and sterilized masks at high prices.

　　(4) Civilian masks made of meltblown non-woven fabrics can meet daily epidemic prevention.

Before the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, civilian masks were generally used for industrial dust and haze protection. After the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, some consumers also wore civilian masks for protection.

Judging from the results of this comparative test, the performance of civilian masks (meltblown non-woven fabrics) purchased in regular channels is not much different from that of medical masks, which can meet the daily protection needs, and consumers can use them normally, but when personnel In dense places, consumers are still recommended to choose disposable medical masks, medical surgical masks or masks of higher protection level.

　　(5) Wearing masks correctly requires attention to methods and methods.

When wearing a mask, it is necessary to distinguish the inside and outside of the mask, the top and bottom, to ensure that the mask covers the mouth, nose and chin, and the nose clip should be compacted; the mask needs to be replaced in time when it is dirty, deformed, damaged, or smelly, and the cumulative wearing time of each mask should not exceed 8 hours (or follow the recommended usage time indicated on the mask package); reusable masks should be hung in a clean, dry and ventilated place when not in use.

　　(6) Proper inspection and disposal can improve the user experience.

Consumers can perform appropriate inspection, adjustment, replacement and other operations during use to improve the protective effect and experience of mask products.

If you find itchy skin or allergies during use, you should stop using it immediately; some mask straps are not strong enough to connect with the cover body, you can check them by gently pulling them with your hands before wearing them; some masks have high ventilation resistance, such as when wearing them. If you feel short of breath, you should find a safe place to ventilate and replace it in time.

　　(7) Use the mask "anti-stuffy artifact" with caution.

Recently, it has been found that there are online platforms selling "anti-stuffy artifacts" such as "mask popping beads", "cooling stickers", "aromatherapy buttons" or "mask nose pads", "mask fans" and "mask brackets", which can make consumers more comfortable when wearing masks. , cool.

It is worth noting that the wetting of the mask by "explosive bead" liquids will affect the filtering performance. Installing other objects on the mask will affect the fit of the mask and the face and affect the protective effect. Consumers should use it with caution.

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