Environmental Science and Pollution Research

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09476-8

AFFORDABLE STRATEGIES FOR ENVIRONMENT

Respiratory mask using a combination of spunbond, meltblown,

and activated carbon materials for reducing exposure to CO:
an in vivo study
Khayan Khayan 1 & Taufik Anwar 1 & Slamet Wardoyo 1 & Widyana Lakshmi Puspita 2

Received: 12 September 2019 / Accepted: 26 May 2020

# Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020

Abstract
Air pollution is a serious health problem in almost all developing and developed countries around the world. One component of
air pollution dangerous for health is carbon monoxide (CO). The largest source of carbon monoxide is the burning of fossil fuels
and peatland fires. The government continues to control pollution through both environmental management and summer
pollution control. However, the resulting impact is less than optimal. We conducted a study to test the material used as an
alternative respiratory protector in absorbing CO gas. The protective material comprised of a combination of spunbond,
meltblown, and activated carbon materials. We carried the study out on a laboratory scale using experimental animals that were
subjected to different stages of treatment. The results showed that respiratory protective masks with a combination of activated
carbon and spunbond/meltblown materials were better able to inhibit CO exposure (p ≤ 0.001) than respiratory masks without
activated carbon. The combination material is thus effective in absorbing CO; it can carry further research out on other harmful
gases such as NO and NO2.

Keywords Respiratory mask . Spunbond . Meltblown . Activated carbon . CO

Introduction non-irritating, making detection difficult for exposed groups

High levels of air pollution in tropical regions are associated
with frequent land fires, industrial and domestic biomass
burning, burning of fossil fuels, and traffic activity
(Reddington et al. 2014). Agricultural and plantation land fires
occur frequently every year in West Kalimantan. The charac-
teristics of peatland serve as a trigger for land fires (Hayasaka
et al. 2014), giving rise to increased concentrations of CO in
ambient air.
The components of air pollution include carbon monoxide
(CO), a compound that is colorless, tasteless, odorless, and
Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues
* Khayan Khayan
mkhayan@yahoo.co.id
1
Department of Environmental Health, Poltekkes Kemenkes
Pontianak, Pontianak, Indonesia
2
Department of Nutrition, Poltekkes Kemenkes Pontianak,
Pontianak, Indonesia
(Raub et al. 2000). Carbon monoxide is absorbed from the
lungs into the bloodstream to form complex and reversible
bonds with hemoglobin (HB) as a carboxyhemoglobin com-
pound (COHb). The presence of COHb in the blood results in
a reduced supply of oxygen to the tissues, causing tissue hyp-
oxia (Ryter and Otterbein 2004).
Blood COHb concentration greater than 1% is considered
abnormal, and COHb levels ≥ 5% can adversely affect heart
and lung function (Guan et al. 2016). The major sources of
exposure are toxic substances in the air from CO emissions,
which are particularly harmful in the elderly and children
(Kagawa 2002; Kim et al. 2017).
To prevent exposure to toxic gases in the air in countries
such as Indonesia, people use respiratory protection in the
form of masks made of cotton cloth, surgical masks, and
N95 respirators (Li et al. 2006). Masks made of cotton cloth
and gauze paper can filter smoke and exhaust particles >
0.75 μm in diameter, with effectiveness of less than 10%.
Surgical masks protect against particles < 0.75 μm in diameter
and can filter out bacteria and germs (Ba et al. 2006;
Grinshpun et al. 2009).
 Environ Sci Pollut Res

However, these types of respiratory protection are not able
to filter and absorb CO gas. An alternative approach for respi-
ratory protective masks is a design comprising three layers:
the first layer made of spunbond material, the second layer
(middle) of meltblown material, and a third layer with
spunbond material. The function of layers 1 and 3 is to filter
dust/smoke particles, and the second layer acts as a filter for
bacteria and other germs; however, the material cannot filter
or absorb CO (Grinshpun et al. 2009; Li et al. 2006; Lai et al.
2012). Filter media comprising spunbond and meltblown
components, also called a filtering facepiece respirator
(FFR), have been developed to improve filtering capacity
through the addition of an intermediary medium (nanowebs)
(Nazir et al. 2019).
To enhance the function of the above-described respi-
ratory masks using spunbond and meltblown materials in
order to prevent the adverse health effects caused by CO
exposure, new technological innovations are needed.
Respirators designed using a combination of activated
carbon and spunbond/meltblown materials investigated
in ambient air conditions have shown good effectiveness
(Khayan et al. 2019) and increased capacity with the ad-
dition of activated carbon in the form of granules. The
microporous and mesoporous properties of activated car-
bon aid in the absorption of CO (Kalderis et al. 2008;
Moses Coss and Cha 2011). Further testing is needed to
enable this application in humans.
Mask material
Facial masks (respiratory masks) were made of materials in-
cluding spunbond and meltblown materials and activated car-
bon. Activated carbon in granular form was installed between
the spunbond and meltblown material. Activated carbon with
325–350 mesh size was used, with dust content less than 10%,
according to the Indonesian National Standard. The activated
carbon density was 0.7–0.8 g/cm2 (Fig. 1).
Study protocol
Twenty-four male Wistar rats were acclimated for 7 days in a
single cage under laboratory conditions, with food and water
supplied in moderation. On the eighth day, the rats were sep-
arated into groups by marking with picric acid on the head,
back, stomach, and tail, and one group with no marking
(plain). The weight and temperature of the rats were measured,
and rats underwent a physical examination of the chest includ-
ing inspection and auscultation. Gas from engine emissions
was fed into a chamber through flexible piping until a CO
concentration of 18 μg/m3 was reached, after which the vessel
was closed so that conditions remained constant. The test was
carried out by placing the rats in a box lined with various types

Materials and methods

Study design

The experiment was carried out in the laboratory with a post-

test-only control group design using experimental animals.
The treatment consisted in exposing Wistar rats to exhaust
fumes with CO levels of 18 μg/m3, which is considered to
be a high level of contamination in the work environment.
Rats were placed in a box with various types of respiratory
mask materials as protection from CO exposure, and the dif-
ference in COHb levels after CO exposure were measured.

Population and sample

The study population included 24 healthy male Wistar rats, 2–

3 month old, with body weight of 150–250 g. Based on World
Health Organization (WHO) criteria (1993), which recom-
mends a minimum of five animals per treatment group, this
study was conducted using six samples in each treatment
group. The rats were divided into three treatment groups and
one control group (protective markers). Fig. 1 Respiratory mask with a combination of activated carbon
Environ Sci Pollut Res

of breathing mask material to be tested. After 4 h, the rats were
removed from the vessel, and COHb levels were measured.
Ethical approval
The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Health
Education Ethics committee. Official permission was granted
by the ethics committee of the Poltekkes Kemenkes
Pontianak, West Kalimantan, with consideration of animal
welfare.
Analyses
Analysis of COHb blood levels was carried out using the
Kruskal–Wallis test with the help of computer software. Post
hoc analysis was performed using the Mann–Whitney test.
Differences with p = 0.05 were considered significant.
Results and discussion
The various types of mask material used for protection dem-
onstrated differences in the ability to adsorb CO. Optimal
absorption was found for the mask using a combination of
activated carbon and spunbond/meltblown material. Normal
levels of CO were found in the blood of rats in the combina-
tion group (Fig. 1).
Figure 2 shows the COHb concentrations in the blood of
Wistar rats equipped with different types of respiratory
protection. The lowest COHb content was found in the group
with the combination of activated carbon and meltblown/
spunbond material (45.43 ppm). In rats without protective
mask material (control), COHb levels in the blood were higher
than those of rats equipped with protective materials.
The results of the study (Table 1) show that respiratory
protective masks made from a combination of spunbond/
meltblown materials and activated carbon have higher effec-
tiveness than masks using cotton or meltblown/spunbond
masks without activated carbon (p ≤ 0.001).
Table 1 shows the results of the Kruskal–Wallis test indi-
cating significant differences in blood levels of COHb be-
tween control and treatment groups with various types of re-
spiratory mask materials (p ≤ 0. 001). Statistical results
(Table 2) with the post hoc Mann–Whitney test revealed dif-
ferences in COHb levels between the control group and the
cotton cloth, meltblown/spunbond material, and activated car-
bon combination groups (p = 0.002).
COHb levels detected in the rats were measured to deter-
mine CO exposure. CO enters the bloodstream through the
respiratory tract and binds to blood hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin is an oxygen-binding protein necessary to sup-
port the body’s metabolic processes. CO exposure affects the
function of hemoglobin, as it binds to hemoglobin at the
oxygen-binding sites (Atrie and Worster 2018; Khayan et al.
2019). Differences in COHb levels found in rats showed that
the protective material used had varying effectiveness. The
most effective protection was achieved with a combination
of meltblown/spunbond materials and activated carbon. This

COHb In Blood
(ppm)
45.8 46.7 45.3 44.8 44.7 45.3

70.4 70.2 69.9 68.7 68.9 70.8

77.7 75.4 75.5 77.6 76.8 76.4

82.5 80.9 80.5 81.7 82.4 80.9

WISTAR 1 WISTAR 2 WISTAR 3 WISTAR 4 WISTAR 5 WISTAR 6

Control Coon Spunbond & Meltblown Combinaon

Fig. 2 CO levels adsorbed by experimental animals


Table 1 Analysis of differences
in the effectiveness of various
types of mask materials against
exposure to CO Control
Cotton
Spunbond/meltblown
Combination with activated carbon
a
Kruskal–Wallis, α = 5%
* Significance (p ≤ 0.001%)
is clear from the results showing COHb levels of 81.48 ppm in
the blood of control rats (p = 0.002) compared with an average
of 45.43 ppm COHb in the combination group.
Respiratory protection using cotton fabric shows no mean-
ingful effects against CO exposure; therefore, CO can be
absorbed by the blood. Likewise, meltbound/spunbond mate-
rials do not provide ideal protection from CO exposure (Atrie
and Worster 2018; Mahony et al. 2009). This can be seen from
the results of this study, in which the mean COHb levels in rats
given cotton and meltblown/spunbond protection were still
high (76.56 ppm and 69.73 ppm, respectively).
Cotton-based masks only function as dust filters against
particles > 0.75 μm in diameter, with less than 10% effective-
ness, and can only be used once. Masks made from meltblown
and spunbond material, known as surgical masks, protect
against exposure to particles < 0.75 μm in diameter, with
around 20% effectiveness in filtering bacteria and germs,
and can only be used for 1 hour (Ba et al. 2006; Atrie and
Worster 2018).
Masks made from meltblown/spunbond material for filter-
ing of dust and bacteria can be combined with activated car-
bon for absorbing toxic gases such as CO (Bernstein et al.
2004). This is evident from the results of the study, which
showed that rats subjected to protection from these materials
had a lower average COHb level (45.43 ppm) than those with
cotton cloth or meltblown/spunbond protective materials. The
results of statistical analysis showed differences in the protec-
tive effects against CO exposure between the control group
(without protection or mask) and the rats protected by a
Table 2 Analysis of differences
in the effectiveness between the Post hoc test
types of masks on exposure to CO
a
Mann–Whitney, α = 5%
*Significance (p ≤ 0.05)
Environ Sci Pollut Res
Mean (Min–Max) SD P valuea
81.48 (80.50–82.50) 0.84 ≤ 0.001*
76.56 (75.40–77.70) 0.99
69.73 (68.70–70.40) 0.74
45.43 (44.70–46.70) 0.73
combination of meltblown/spunbond and activated carbon
materials.
The use of activated carbon combined with meltblown/
spunbond materials was effective for the absorption of CO
gas. Activated carbon is charcoal that is treated physically or
chemically to generate very fine pores that are able to absorb
gas (Moses Coss and Cha 2011). The absorbed CO is bound
by an attractive tensile force with activated charcoal pores
(Ren et al. 2011).
The activation of activated charcoal occurs through two
stages, namely carbonization and activation. Carbonization
is a process of inducing in the room oxygen and other
chemicals, while activation is the treatment of charcoal with
the aim of enlarging pores by breaking hydrocarbon bonds or
oxidizing surface molecules so that they experience changes
in physics and chemistry (Kalderis et al. 2008; Zabaniotou
et al. 2008).
Using activated carbon as a filter medium in respiratory
masks must have low ash content. Excessive dust content in
activated charcoal affects the quality of the mask, as it can
cause dust exposure to the mask user (W. Li et al. 2008).
The highest levels of COHb were found in rats subjected to
CO exposure with cotton cloth mask material as protection,
indicating that the effectiveness of cotton fabrics in protecting
against CO exposure is low. Similarly, masks using
meltblown/spunbond material did afford not significant pro-
tection against CO exposure. Individuals using such masks
may thus be at risk of respiratory disorders from exposure to
toxic gases, especially CO (Kagawa 2002).
Treatment P valuea
Control vs. cotton 0.002*
Control vs. spunbond/meltblown 0.002*
Control vs. combinations activated carbon 0.002*
Cotton vs. meltblown/spunbond 0.002*
Cotton vs. combination activated carbon 0.002*
Spunbond/meltblown vs. combination activated carbon 0.002*
Environ Sci Pollut Res
Both long-term and short-term exposure to CO can cause
health problems. The toxicological effects include respiratory
and cardiovascular diseases, neuropsychiatric complications,
eye irritation, skin diseases, and long-term chronic diseases
such as cancer (Bernstein et al. 2004). Short-term high-level
exposure to CO can cause unconsciousness, cyanosis, and
sluggish reflexes (Rice 2004).
To prevent health problems caused by CO exposure, the
use of proper respiratory protection is necessary for individ-
uals when carrying out activities with potential risk of expo-
sure to CO. Individuals should use a mask with materials that
have the ability to absorb the gas, such as a combination mask
made from spunbond/meltblown material and activated
carbon.
Conclusion
Differences in the effectiveness of respiratory personal protec-
tive equipment was investigated using models comprising cot-
ton fabric, spunbond/meltblown material, and a combination
of activated carbon and spunbond/meltblown material as pro-
tection from exposure to CO in vivo in Wistar rats. The
highest effectiveness was demonstrated by the combination
of activated carbon and spunbond/meltblown materials.
Suggestion
The results of this study suggest that exposure to toxic gases
such as CO in ambient air cannot be adequately reduced or
filtered by personal protective equipment comprising ordinary
masks such as cotton cloth or surgical masks (masks made
from spunbond/meltblown materials). Thus the use of masks
with a combination of spunbond/meltblown material and ac-
tivated carbon offers an effective alternative.
Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Poltekkes
Kemenkes Pontianak-Indonesia for their kind support during the conduct
of this study.
Compliance with ethical standards
Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of
interest.
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