BINDER DRYING OVENS – TREATMENT SOLUTION FOR FFP2 MASKS

With the global coronavirus outbreak, health and safety needs have attracted even greater attention. One of the preventive measures against viral infection is the use of safety masks. This was precisely the question raised by researchers at the Münster University of Applied Sciences in a high-containment laboratory project aimed at tracking the behavior of viruses and bacteria. They have demonstrated that FFP2 masks can be reused if treated using BINDER drying ovens.

Depending on the needs and severity, various types of medical masks can be used; however, N95 (US standard) and FFP2/FFP3 (European standard) masks are more widely recommended due to their effective multi-layer filtration design.

In Germany, over recent weeks, with the ban on cloth masks and other standard face coverings taking effect, medical-grade masks and FFP2 have instead become the standard masks commonly used during the coronavirus pandemic due to their high filtration efficiency. Demand for FFP2 has surged, yet FFP2 are typically single-use, leading to even greater shortages. The cost of wearing these can add up quickly if they must be replaced every day.

From that reality, the prospect of reusing FFP2 has become an urgent issue. The question arises: Can a FFP2 mask remain effective if used more than once?

They conducted practical empirical research using a Binder drying oven to determine that the majority of coronaviruses are killed after 60 minutes of exposure to 80 °C. In the context of the pandemic, this discovery became extremely meaningful and important; more specifically, treating FFP2 with a Binder drying oven is very simple and easy to perform.

In addition, researchers also provided new recommendations that users can take advantage of: store the FFP2 mask in a dry place for one week after use, which will kill most traces of coronavirus and allow users to keep just seven FFP2 masks, each of which can be worn five times in rotation – a total of 35 days.