Bacterial filtration efficiency and differential pressure of turmeric-treated face mask

In this study, the researchers attempted to develop a face mask from commonly available fabric and treat it with turmeric decoction to test the efficiency to bacterial filtration and differential pressure. The face mask designed and developed is a three-ply mask consisting of a polypropylene filter material sandwiched between two layers of muslin fabric. The face mask developed for the study is treated with turmeric extract at different concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%) and tested for bacterial filtration efficiency and differential pressure. The results show that the masks treated at 15% concentration have a bacterial filtration efficiency of 94.1% and differential pressure of 37.90 Pa/cm2 making them comfortable to be worn for protection from droplet-transmitted infections as COVID-19. The results pave the way for considering the turmeric-treated mask for use by healthy individuals in community spaces as a precaution against the spread of respiratory diseases.