Low-VOC Emission Label Proposal for Facemask Safety Based on Respiratory and Skin Health Criteria

One of the main preventive measures recognized by WHO and implemented to mitigate the COVID-19 epidemic impact, by controlling the transmission of coronavirus, was the use of a facemask. Since a facemask is an accessory that can be used several hours a day, through which the air we breathe passes, and which is in contact with the face skin, it must not cause discomfort to the wearer and must not contain toxic, irritating or sensitizing substances. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to identify the toxic chemical compounds present in the facemask material. Hence, the present study aims to discuss a proposal for a low-VOC emission label to be assigned to facemasks’ materials in terms of respiratory and skin health. Two types of tests were proposed, one for analysis of VOC emissions, to assess the user exposure by inhalation, and the other for analysis of the VOC content, for evaluating the user exposure by dermal contact. Nine facemasks of different types: surgical (M1–M3), FFP2 (M4–M6) and reusable (M7–M9), were tested according to these methods. Comparing all the analyzed facemask types, the calculated TVOC dose, resulting from the exposure by inhalation, is very diversified, with low and high values, varying between 0 (in M7) and 2374 µg/day (in M6). However, they are consistently higher for the three analyzed self-filtering FFP2 respirators (M4–M6). Concerning dermal exposure, it is not possible to generalize, but the reusable facemasks analyzed in this work (M7–M9) consistently present higher values of skin-sensitizing compounds than the disposable facemasks (M1–M6). An attempt was made to establish criteria for assigning the low-VOC emission label. The proposed values are suggestions, requiring further studies. The authors expect that the results of this study may lead to future implementation of standards and regulations regarding the chemical compounds present in facemasks materials.