Review Related Literature

MASK AS A PPE.

In the current situation, although we have focused on the the corona, it has no hesitation
in saying that the mask is not just to protect the corona but to further protect from other air
pollutants. As the population grows, factories are growing to meet their needs, and the number
of vehicles is increasing. The aerosols, solid, liquid, and gaseous particle suspended in air,
originated from factories, cars, and fossil fuel burning. An ambient air pollutant is high and
demands a high risk for people, especially among children and patients with heart diseases,
cardiovascular diseases. People have trouble breathing problems to dust, yard work. For these
glonbal issues like dust allergies or asthma-related health problems, face mask choice is best
[38-40]. Over the past few decades, scientists have relied on face masks to protect from
disease. During the world war period, the influenza between 1918-1920, wearing face mask was
mandatory for health workers and police and people attached to epidemic care issues [41]. The
history of mask uses very old. The travelogue of the itilian traveler Marco Polo wrote the use of
masks in China in 13th century. “Brownian motion” named after Scottish researcher Robert
Brown, in 1827 , invented that the protective efficacy of masks on dust. To walk the path along
with with epidemic, it is essential to wear a face mask as a PPE. The main objective behind face
masks is to block them from spreading in air through droplets. Being an asymptomatic
syndrome, it is impossible to understand whether he or she is affected or not. Hence, it is
necessary to wear face masks for every people for their safety and community safety. It is
important to select parameters for designing and synthesizing a mask. The mode of action and
stability of aerosol is different, and it varies with the size. The most important parameter is that
the filtration ability should be the same or smaller size than aerosolized droplets [42, 43].

TYPES OF MASKS.

Five different types of masks available on the market

 M1—3D-printed model. This commercial masks uses disposable FF2 filters. This
technology is very widespread on the market for masks with a reusable structure. The
3D-printed part has to be disinfected to ensure that it is safe to use. FF2 filters guarantee
a filtration efficiency of the at least 94% and must be changed every 8 h of use [41].
 M2—surgical mask. This type of device is for single use only and acts as a barrier to
prevent droplets from being transmitted during breathing or speaking. They mainly
protect other people, not the wearer, although they can help to prevent the user from
coming into contact with a stream of liquid. They must be discarded every 4 h of use.
 M3—FF2 with exhalation valve. This mask is for single use and is designed to facilitate
breathing through its valve. It protects the user from possible external contamination, but
it does not protect others. They must be discarded every 8 h of use [41].
 M4—FFP2 without an ehalation valve. As in the previous case, it is for single use but,
since it does not have an exhalation valve, it protects both the user and others. It needs
to be discarded every 8 h of use.
 M5—washable mask. Mask can be reused several times, maintaining its filtering
efficiency for at least 50 washes. In this case, maintenance consists of washing the
product in a washing machine at a recommended temperature between 40 oC and 75 oC
[42].

These devices act as a physical barrier to prevent particle dispersion, thus filtering the
exhalation of infected individuals [14]. For this reason, masks should be worn during daily
activities (work, public transport, etc.) by a large part of the population during 2021, especially in
places where ventilation is not good[7,13-15].

The WHO has estimated that 89 million masks are needed per month [16], a huge quantity
that caused limited stocks in many countries during the initial period of the pandemic [17-19].
Moreover, their production entails a large consumption of fossil-based materials and the
generation of large amounts of waste (difficul to manage), which can cause an environmental
issue. This problem should not be forgotten although, at this time, efforts should be focused on
solving the current health emergency. These sustainability issues are due to the fact that masks
(surgical and PPE, or personal protective equipment) are usually diposable devices, generally
produced by using different layers of nonwoven fibers made of thermoplastic polymers [20] and
sometimes functionalized to improve their filtering properties [21,22].

This type of devices is very difficult to recycle, which makes the end of life (EoL) of the
product another critical and impactful aspect to manage since most of the masks end up being
discarded in municipal/sanitary landfills or incinerated [23], with considerable emissions of
greenhouse gases (GHGs) [24]. Furthermore, masks pontentially represent a source of
microplastics, which are very dangerous for microorganisms living in the water and can reenter
the human food chain, causing severe health problems [25,26]. This is the reason why studies
are being promoted to obtain masks biodegradable materials [27], which should facilitate their
end-of-life disposal.

Cloth masks are very common, cheap, and easy to make in the home. Generally, people
sitting in a rural area or those who have a shortage of proper masks choose cloth masks as
protection. Many preprint studies suggest that cloth masks with two or three-layer re better than
a single layer. Further, It is not better ut help protect from movable larger particles in the air [43].
Masks with activated carbon coating are capable of filtrate NOx, SOx, COx like toxic gases from
the air [44]. Copper coating masks are generally used to protect from influenza by using the
potent biocidal properties of copper [45]. At least 95% of solid or liquid aerosols can block under
N95receptor capacity. Therefore, the number 90, 95,96 refers to the minimal percentage of
aerosols filtered under test conditions [46]. Even the above-mentioned respirator can make it
more difficult for the wearer to breathe due to the building up of carbon dioxide, which may
reduce oxygen intake, as consequences increase breathing rates and heart rates. Exposure to
the fire zone can outweigh the benefits of the mask.

Global efforts to ban single-use plastics have retreated as nations prioritized hygiene over
the environment for packaging and medical supplies, creating a bright spot for chemical
companies such as LyondellBasell Industrial NV and Trinseo SA. Sales of disposable face
masks are set to rise more than 200-fold worldwide this year to 166 billion dollar, according to a
United Nation trade article, citing consultancy Grand View Research.

Companies have been reluctant to replace plastic with biodegradable alternatives because
of concern about cost and whether the new materials are sufficiently strong and effective for
medical use. A preliminary study by the Philippine Department of Science and Technology
showed abaca paper to be more water resistant than a commercial N-95 mask, and to have
pore sizes within U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended range to
filter hazardous particles.

BANANA AS BIO FIBER

Just as you’d expect, banana fabric is fabric made from bananas. Not the mushy, fruity
part, though—the outer and inner peels, which are both quite fibrous. Just like hemp, which
produces a flowering and a stem section, banana stems peels yield fibers that can be made into
textile products. This practice has actually been done for many centuries, but it’s only recently
that the world of western fashion has caught on to the textile potential of the common banana.

Banana grows on plants, rather than trees, with the fruit technically being a berry. The
leaf sheath around the base of this herbaceous flowering plant is where you find the hidden fibre
resource – not in the fruit at all. The abaca variety grows non-edible fruit, but some farmers can
also take the banana fibre from a plantain species, therefore utilizing the whole plant.

Banana fibre production includes laborious methods of cultivation, fibre ectraction, fibre
processing and sorting. From this comes a tough but fine and lustrous fibre that when woven is
a supple yet versatile textile. Generally woven in small communities on electric-free looms,
abaca fibre is low impact, low(mechanical) energy and requires no chemicals to grow or
process. As the tree is grown locally, it is also low in transportation impact. In order to create
this plant fibre, the trunk of the tree is soaked in nearby rivers for softening, making it more
manageable to separate the fibres, which are then extracted – either by a stripping machine, or
by hand – and then knotted in to yarn.
 Around a billion tonnes of banana fiber is soft with a natural shine, is frequently reffered
to as a vegan, is a great-based alternative to silk and is a more sustainable alternative to cotton.
The material is woven entirely from banana tree’s “pseudo stems” and stalks. Since fruit can
only be harvested from banana trees once in their lifetime, the “pseudo stems” of the banana
tree are often discarded after the bananas are harvested from the tree, leading to massive
amounts of waste. By utilizing a byproduct of the banana tree, banana fiber production is highly
resource-efficient, using a widely available resource and dramatically reducing waste.

Plus, selling banana stems that will be used for banana fiber provides banana farmers
an extra source of income from their banana plants. Banana fiber production can provide an
opportunity for additional jobs in communities that grow and harvest bananas.

The majority of banana fiber is produced in the Philippine Islands, where the banana tree
is an indigenous plant. Banana fiber is also produced in Ecuador, Malaysia, Indonesia, Costa
Rica, Bangladesh, India.

Generally, the banana fabric is made by stripping apart the sheath of the banana stem
and then processing these fibers into yarn. However, there are different methods and
techniques used across the many regions where banana fabric is made.

One method is to strip off individual layers, sheath by sheath, from the stem with a knife
until only the fibers remain. The fibers are then dried naturally and then knotted together using a
twisting technique.Alternatively, banana fiber can also be processed by retting (the process of
soaking the fibers in water), combing, or by using chemical extraction.

BIODEGRADABLE MASK.

This banana fiber-also called musa fiber-is incredibly durable. In fact, this fiber is among
the strongest in the world. Banana fiber is similar to bamboo fiber, though it has a better spin
ability and tensile strength.

What’s also fascinating about banana fiber is that it can vary in weight and thickness
depending on which part of the banana stem is used. Thick, sturdy fiber can be extracted from
the outer sheaths and softer fibers can be taken from the inner sheaths. Because of this
versatility, banana fiber can be woven into ropes, mats, handbags, clothing-and even paper!
The impressive fabric is also naturally water-resistant, fire-resistant, tear-resistant.

Different studies have manufactured biodegradable materials to benefit their research. In

a study of Chia-Yuan et al. (2016), electrospinning was utilized to make fibrous material out of
lignin solution, similar to using naturally occurring fibers in plants for weaving. Findings have
shown that the filtration efficiency tests conducted revealed the material was inadequate, and
that the consistency factor suggested that due to high penetration values, the filters would not
meet the requisite quality requirement. The procedures of these related methods on facial mask
creation was incorporated into the methodology for the banana fiber facial mask. A study by
Chowdhury et al. (2020), made filters that use Glycyrrhiza glabra. It was made a solution to
undergo electrospinning. It was found that the electrospinning process was shown to enhance
fabric’s breathability, indicated by high air permeability. These will be utilized in the study by
applying the same test that their samples went through. The procedures that will be applicable
to the creation of the banana fiber facial mask would be following the general guidelines of a
facial mask, 3-layers structure which is aligned with the surgical mask structure.

The material composition of a product is defined as the quantity of a material used in the
production of one unit of a product during a year (Roberts, 2002). In a recent study (Heaven,
2018), they measured the effectiveness of facial masks when in a polluted area. They also
tested each facial mask by having three different dummies with three diffenrent rates of air
intake and measuring the amount of penetrations per facial mask. Other studies dealt with
bacterial penetration through the droplet vector by demonstrating superior clinical efficacy of the
continuous use of N95 respirator (also known as “airborne precautions”) against infections
presumed to be spread by the droplet mode, including influenza (MacIntyre et al. 2017).
Observing material composition is a practice in other studies, such as when a study (Chia-Yuan
et al. 2016) examined how the banana fiber is used to form as a filter for the facial mask due to
the characteristics of lignin-based nanoscale fibers that improved the filtration efficiency of facial
mask by substantially decreasing the pressure drop inside the filters. In the conducted by (Sen
et al. 2020), banana stem fibers was extracted from banana peel and was utilized for the
development of a newly researched facial masks. It was concluded that the bio facial mask
would be competitive in the market and can benefit frontliners and civilians from the
transmission of the virus.

The banana stem was stripped manually and then shaken under the mixer mechanically.
It was then subjected to treat under 1% NaOH solution and washed thoroughly with 1%
CH3COOH solution. It was then washed thoroughly with water and dried afterward. The dry
mass was added to a little surfactant or starch solution and shacked several times. The fine
nano bed is developed, and it was placed in 100oC – 120oC for 4 hours or under sunlight for 1-2
days. Similar techniques are employed to synthesize cellulose nanofibers from banana peel
from chemical treatment [50]. Nano range of 90 nm – 150 nm is attained in the nanofibers. It is
noteworthy that nanofiber has been separated from banana peel by pretreatment, chemical
treatment, mechanical treatment, and disintegration methods like sonication, cyro-crushing, and
dissolution previously [48 – 55].

The main chemical compositions of banana fiber are cellulose (60%-62%), hemicellulose
(19%), lignin (5-7%), and others [56]. Cellulose is naturally occurring fiber consisting of a D-
anhydroglucopyranose unit linked together with B- (1-4) glycosidic bond. They are joined with
each other by hemicelluloses. The whole structure is covered through lignin [56]. Alcoholic
degradation with stream explosion breaks the hemicellulose bond, disrupting lignin structure
and the linkage between others cellulose or carbonhydrate and making solid bio-mass into
smaller ones and for a further subsequent process.

This material, banana fiber sheets, was found to have high air permeability and water
repellency, key aspects of mask efficacy, but as a material suffered in that it was unable to have
short water ansorbency times, reducing its efficacy as a filter material. Given that the findings
with regards to water repellency is most likely a result of the barrier layers being constructed out
of nonwoven polypropylene, at this time no firm conclusion can be reached on the efficacy of
these biodegradable facial masks compared to standard facial masks, other than that they are
useable and easily constructed. It is, however, possible to conclude that of the two distinct
setups, those masks with three filter layers rated higher in air permeability and are therefore
better for use than four-layer masks. In the future, it would be recommended for studies to focus
on airborne particle penetration testing, in addition to the droplet vector, to test mask efficiency
against aerosols. Moreover, this study was conducted with relatively small sample size and was
done using only one alternative material. It is recommended, if possible, that future inquiries
compare other local, biodegradable materials, to these banana fiber sheets, and that these
studies utilize larger sample size. Finally, due to time constraints, the banana fibers sheets here
were pre- constructed rather than extracted from pseudo-stems, and the study was thus unable
to control for the efficacy of masks as constructed by a community rather than by professionals.
To model results in the situation this study addresses, on the local community level that has little
access to healthcare, these considerations must be taken to ensure the accuracy of the data.
This study found that for these communities, while a trade-off between accessibility and better
water absorbency could occur, biodegradable facial masks are a safe and acceptable
alternative for community healthcare.

SUSTAINABILITY

*MATERIAL AVAILABILITY

Banana fiber, the focus of this research, has many qualities that make it a sustainable
textile. However, in spite of many positive factors that banana fiber has as a textile for the
fashion industry, it is not well kown and underused. Banana trees take nine months to grow a
bunch of bananas(The surprising science, 2017). “It takes another two to three months for the
bananas to ripen after that. Once this cycle is complete, the mother plant dies”
(Sanders,n,d,,para 3). Therefore, it has to be cut down. The banana fiber can be extracted from
the Banana pseudustem, which looks similar to a tree trunk, and is useless after the fruit is
harvested (Matra workshop, 2013). This is what can be used to make fabric. It is also
sustainable, biodegradable, strong, fine, and could be an alternative to silk (Hendriksz, 2017).
 Abaca (banana) fabrics is believed to have evolved in the Philippines region, where
global production of the fibre mainly comes from. It is now also grown as a commercial crop in
other parts of the world, including Ecuador and Costa Rica. Abaca fibre was once reffered to as
Manila hemp, because it’s such as strong and versatile fibre, growing quite readily. The main
exports are as twine and speciality paper (including tea bugs, filter paper and banknotes!), but
now, abaca is becoming known in the textile world too.

The Philippines is one of the world’s largest supplier, supplying 85% of the fiber in 2017,
According to the latest data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Global
production is projected to be worth 100 million dollar this year. (Guryani)

At 28.4 million tonnes per year, india is tho world’s largest producer of bananas, so it
only makes sense that this Asian country is also the biggest producer of banana fiber. The
Philippines is no longer a banana fiber production hub, but this fabric is made for traditional
purposes in small quantities in this island chain nation. Almost all banana fiber that reaches
Western markets was manufactured in India.

India has the largest land under banana cultivation. During the year 2020, it accounted
for around 32 million metric tons of Banana Production, which is an increase of about one
million metric tons from the previous year. Currently the leading state producers of banana are
Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Bananas are harvested two to four times a year and the
stems are usually cut and thrown away. With som many benefits, This plant has been a source
of high quality textile for ages and is well known as MUSSA TEXTILE, as its scientific name is
called MUSA.

In Japan, the fibres were used as a substitute for silk and were woven intro garments. In
Nepal, the outermost sheaths of the banana plant were used for making mats and sunshades.
But Later its popularity faded as coton and silk became popular. Banana fibre is not a new
discovery but certainly a unique one.

COVID-19 has hampered the growth of the Banana Fiber market significantly from last
year, and is likely to continue through 2021. Huge demand for Banana Fiber market noticed
from massive manufacturing countries, which are seriously affected by the spread of
coronavirus. From raw materials to end users of this industry are analysed scientifically, the
trends of product circulation and sales channel will be presented as well. Considering COVID-
19, this report provides comprehensive and in-depth analysis on how the epidemic push this
industry transformation and reform.

Yes, fabric made from banana fibre can be termed as the next green apparel of the
future. According to the researchers, the fabric can be cheaper than cotton and linen, if it is
produced in large scale.

The successful run of natural fibres in textle sector indicates relevance of how
contemporary textile sector and designers are adapting to change in demand.

On the constructive side, research indicates that in order to produce a kilogram of

banana fibre only 37 kilogram of stem is required. According to the Philippine Textile Research
Institute banana plantation in the Philippines alone can help in production of over 300,000
tonnes of banana textile fibre. Despite these researches the reality is rather contradictory. Each
year approximately a billion tonne of banana plant stems are wasted worldwide. With
awareness regarding green textile among the consumers, textile units are now working diligently
to make use of ample banana production in Asian and African countries.

The rising demand in the global market for home decors and handcrafted items made
from natural raw materials presents a great opportunity for the banana fiber. With the revival of
this particular industry, DTI aims to conduct more trainings on banana fiber craft making thereby
establishing a new livelihood project for the community of agrarian reform beneficiaries in Sto.
Tomas.(DTI Davao del Norte).

In a bid to revive the banana fiber industry in the municipality of Sto. Tomas, Davao del
Norte, the Department o Trade and Industry – Davao del Norte Provincial Office pushed for a
market linkage between Marsman Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (MARBCO) and
TADECO Homes – a leading exporter of handicrafted items in the region. (2016)

As the first sought garments in the province woven through the collective efforts of
weavers and inmates inside Davao Penal Colony, also called as Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

The continuous product development activities of the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) has resulted in the expansion of products by an entrepreneur in Davao del Norte. A bent
that gave hundreds of Talaingod and Dujali women, the long lasting opportunities to sustainable
livelihood.

The Musa Fabric has been maximizing the use of banana fiber in creating different
wearables. In fact, it has even produced face masks out of the sustainable raw material which
the province is known for.(2020)

MATERIAL COST EFFICIENCY

Very little banana fiber is still produced in the Philippines many manufacturers in this
country focus extensively on sustainable and organic practices. High-quality, inner-lining
banana fiber is generally quite expensive. It’s tricky to produce, and it has the same qualities as
silk, which means this lustrous fabric has a lot of market value.

Despite of these factors, this material is beneficial aside from protecting us from the
virus, the biomasks can be useful for skin healing, skincare, auto-fragrance, and organized
cooling masks are washable, reusable, water-repellent, and tear-resistant. They filter 7x better
than cloth masks as tested and approved by DOST (Department of Science and Technology).
Made from eco-friendly sustainable material.

While abaca-based face masks are not the medical grade personal protective equipment
(PPE), they still provide some protection against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Dispose
after 5-10 uses or if the mask is no longer in good condition. Making this biodegradable mask
cost efficient.

REFERENCES: (Feb. 04, 2022)

https://www.dlsu.edu.ph>pdf

https://www.weforum.org>2020/08

https://ijeais.org

https://nanobioletters.com