Colegio San Augustin - Makati

Academic Year 2020-2021
Senior High School
General Mathematics

The Relation of the Production of N95 Masks and its Carbon Dioxide Emissions to the
Society

Submitted by:
DEATO, Margarita E.
11-H

Submitted to:
Mrs. Jasmin Maristela
January 2020
 I. Introduction

The production of face masks has increased dramatically during the first half of
2020. Due to the ever-increasing rates of infections from the pandemic, the government
saw it fit that everyone would be required to wear one when leaving the house. This has
proven to have lessened the spread of the virus in various public places (Mayo Clinic,
2020). There are different face masks that the World Health Organization or WOH has
provided. According to Liebsch (2020), all the masks have one fundamental goal, which
is to prevent the spread of the virus, but each has its own different effects and benefits.
Mainly, they offer the N95 mask, cotton/cloth mask, and surgical masks among others.
Medical caretakers usually use the N95 mask as its use is to filter out particles and protect
the one wearing the mask. Meanwhile, the rest of society uses cotton and cloth masks as
it helps reduce the risk of infecting others, but does not protect the one wearing the mask.

The N95 mask is made from synthetic plastic, usually, Propylene. Also containing
rubber and metal for the straps, staples, and nose bar. N95 masks have been certified to
have a filtration efficiency of at least 95% against non-oily particles, using the NIOSH
tests. According to an experiment done by various researchers (​Y. Li​, ​H. Tokura​, ​Y.P.
Guo​, ​A.S.W. Wong​, ​T. Wong​, ​J. Chung​, and ​E. Newton​), the N95 masks had a higher
average heart rate compared to the surgical masks, they used a nano-treated and untreated
mask for further comparisons. The masks each have their own CO2 footprint, N95 has a
footprint of 0.05kg per mask, cotton, and cloth masks having a footprint of 0.06kg per
mask, and surgical masks having a footprint of 0.059kg per mask. Liebsch (2020) said
that cotton and cloth masks have a higher footprint than the N95 by 20%. Carbon Dioxide
affects not only the environment but the body as well, mainly the blood flow. This
increases the blood flow in the brain and arterial blood pressure. There is an
environmental impact that comes from the cotton masks throughout their production
cycle. Therefore, beating the “artificial” Polypropylene material.

II. Data Presentation

II.A Presentation of Tables

Table A. Production Volume in Millions of N95 Masks in the United States of America
from December 2019 to October 2020
retrieved from:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1110845/us-n95-mask-production-of-3m/

Table B. Carbon Dioxide Emissions per Mask Volume

Number of Masks (X) CO2 Emission (Y)

1 0.05kg

100 5kg

500 25kg

1,000 50kg

1,500 75kg

22,000,000 1,100,000kg

26,000,000 1,300,000kg

33,000,000 1,650,000kg

35,000,000 1,750,000kg

50,000,000 2,500,000kg

95,000,000 4,750,000kg
Table C. Values

Y Represents the CO2 emissions

0.05 Represents the amount of CO2 emission per mask

X Represents the number of masks

II.B Mathematical Model

1. United States of America has produced 22 million N95 masks during

December 2019. Three months later, they have produced almost twice as many
masks, 35 million N95 masks to be exact. What is the estimated number of N95
masks by December 2020? And what is its corresponding CO2 emission?

Equation:
A= Aoe^k(t)
Wherein:
A Ao K T

Total number of Total number of Constant Months

produced masks masks produced

Computation:
 2. As the virus spread like wildfire, the produced more N95 masks to ensure the
safety of everyone. The United States of America has produced 22 million N95 masks
during the month of December 2019. Using the equation A= 22,000,000 ^ln (1.59)/3 (x).
What is the estimated number of produced N95 masks after 30 months and its
corresponding CO2 emission?

II.C Overall Tables

II.C.1 Values

Since the production of 1 N95 mask has a carbon dioxide emission of 0.05kg, the
researcher created a formula to calculate the rest. y=0.05x
 II.C.2 Graphs

II.D Method of Gathering Data

The method used was research, particularly the use of documents and official statistics
records from the United States of America. The reason this was the best method to use is
that it helped expand the knowledge of the researcher on this topic and get the most
accurate information to use.
III. Analysis & Conclusion
The researcher therefore concludes that the more they produce N95 masks throughout the
years, the more carbon dioxide is released into the environment. As one N95 mask has a carbon
dioxide emission of 0.05kg, if they produce more, then it is most likely that more carbon dioxide
will be released. It can also affect the environment and people in bad ways, such as the
production of smaller nutrients in staple crops (Dunne, 2020) and the increase in blood flow and
pressure in the body.

IV. References

Liebsch, T. (2020, April 22). The rise of the face mask: What’s the environmental impact of 17
million N95 masks? Retrieved from
https://ecochain.com/knowledge/footprint-face-masks-comparison/?fbclid=IwAR0N7XU
SWVmE5XvFmxT9qsfmBYu0utfAMw9kEswD7XcmUo9sl-YBFB4_4c4
Mayo Clinic (2020, December 05). ​COVID-19: How much protection do face masks offer?​.
Retrieved from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/
art-20485449

Dunne, D. (2020, February 10). Rising CO2 levels could push 'hundreds of millions' into
malnutrition by 2050. Retrieved January 14, 2021, from
https://www.carbonbrief.org/rising-co2-levels-could-push-hundreds-of-millions-into-mal
nutrition-by-2050