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Identifying FFP Mask Seal Leakage using Fluorescein Aerosols

Nick WF Linton* , Sameer Zaman, Henry Seligman, Graham D Cole, Ricardo Petraco

Healthcare workers involved with Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs) require well-fitting FFP masks to reduce transmission of pathogenic particles such as coronavirus. The commonest way to check a facemask’s seal is a qualitative fit-test that relies on the participant tasting a bitter aerosol. This subjective ‘taste-test’ is biased by placebo. In the study reviewed in this communication, we proposed a cost-effective adaptation to the ‘taste-test’ using fluorescein-stained aerosols to visualise and quantify the leakiness of FFP masks.