SynthesisAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2021
Decontaminating N95/FFP2 masks for reuse during the COVID-19 epidemic: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Conservation Practices for Personal Protective Equipment: A Systematic Review with Focus on Lower-Income Countries.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Factors influencing bacterial viability on face masks and bactericidal effect of disinfection methods.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The synergistic antibacterial activity of ozone and surfactant mists.RSC advances · 2023Article
- Ozone application in different industries: A review of recent developments.Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) · 2023Review
- Application of Ultraviolet-C Radiation and Gaseous Ozone for Microbial Inactivation on Different Materials.ACS omega · 2022Article
- Protective behavior and SARS-CoV-2 infection risk in the population - Results from the Gutenberg COVID-19 study.BMC public health · 2022Article
- Methylene blue applied to N95 respirators and medical masks for SARS-CoV-2 decontamination: What is the likelihood of inhaling methylene blue?American journal of infection control · 2022Article
- Evaluation of the microbial reduction efficacy and perception of use of an ozonized water spray disinfection technology.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Microbial Inactivation: Gaseous or Aqueous Ozonation?Industrial & engineering chemistry research · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWith the current COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare facilities have been lacking a steady supply of filtering facepiece respirators. To better address this challenge, the decontamination and reuse of these respirators is a strategy that has been studied by an increasing number of institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
methodsWe conducted a systematic literature review in PubMed, PubMed Central, Embase, and Google Scholar. Studies were eligible when (electronically or in print) up to 17 June 2020, and published in English, French, German, or Spanish. The primary outcome was reduction of test viruses or test bacteria by log3 for disinfection and log6 for sterilization. Secondary outcome was physical integrity (fit/filtration/degradation) of the respirators after reprocessing. Materials from the grey literature, including an unpublished study were added to the findings.
findingsOf 938 retrieved studies, 35 studies were included in the analysis with 70 individual tests conducted. 17 methods of decontamination were found, included the use of liquids (detergent, benzalkonium chloride, hypochlorite, or ethanol), gases (hydrogen peroxide, ozone, peracetic acid or ethylene oxide), heat (either moist with or without pressure or dry heat), or ultra violet radiation (UVA and UVGI); either alone or in combination. Ethylene oxide, gaseous hydrogen peroxide (with or without peracetic acid), peracetic acid dry fogging system, microwave-generated moist heat, and steam seem to be the most promising methods on decontamination efficacy, physical integrity and filtration capacity.
interpretationA number of methods can be used for N95/FFP2 mask reprocessing in case of shortage, helping to keep healthcare workers and patients safe. However, the selection of disinfection or sterilization methods must take into account local availability and turnover capacity as well as the manufacturer; meaning that some methods work better on specific models from specific manufacturers. SYSTEMATIC REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020193309.
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