THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COPPER MASK IN PREVENTING

COVID-19 TRANSMISSION

Reymart Marce, Annalyn Navarroza, Elmer Dela Cruz, Jastine

Pardillo, Bryan Amber Saclao

ABSTRACT
In this time of pandemic, choosing the right mask to wear is of great importance to protect ourselves
and help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Face masks act as protection barrier that block
aerosols from entering through the openings in our body such as nose and mouth. Different kinds of
face mask vary from the level of protection they offer. The aim of this study was to determine the level
of effectiveness copper infused mask offers to its wearer against COVID-19. Literature review and
simple home-made experiments were carried out. It was found out that the hole below the copper mask,
which purpose is for comfortable respiration, greatly affect its effectiveness in blocking aerosols.
Moreover, the use of copper mask in healthcare settings should be discouraged.

KEYWORDS: COVID-19, aerosols, respiration, copper,

INTRODUCTION

The main transmission route of COVID-19 is through respiratory droplets exhaled when infected
people breathe, talk, cough, sneeze, or sing. These droplets are also referred to as aerosols and
most of which are smaller than 10 cm. If the infected patients produce infectious droplets of
varying sizes by breathing, coughing or sneezing, transmission between individuals by both
short-range large droplets and airborne small droplet nuclei are both possible, depending on the
distance from the patient source. (Tellier, R., Li, Y., Cowling) Difficulties arise in putting an end
to this pandemic because of the lack of ideal treatment and vaccines. Therefore, protection
barriers play an important role in preventing the transmission of the virus. Several experimental
studies suggest that masks may both protect the wearer from acquiring various infections (Davies
et al., 2013; Lai, Poon, & Cheung,2012) or transmitting infection (Dharmadhikari et al., 2012)
With this in mind, people are advised to wear a facemask when going out in public to prevent the
spread of the virus and has become mandatory in the Philippines on April 03,2020. There are
two type of masks: surgical and conventional (or respiratory). The efficacy of these masks
depends on their structure and filtering capacity. A face masks should cover our face from the
bridge of our nose down to our chin. According to World Health Organization, masks with vents
or exhalation valves are not advised because they allow unfiltered breath to escape the mask.
A new kind of trendy face mask called the “copper mask” first gained its popularity in the
Philippines after celebrities caught on social media wearing it. Some of the features of copper
mask are anti-microbial property, easy to wash, and semi-permanent usage. One of its selling
point is its supposed antimicrobial benefits, which is said to come from the copper strands infused
in the mask’s film. Studies have found that copper is capable to inhibit, inactivate, reduce, and
irreversibly destroy coronavirus, influenza virus, and other pathogenic agents in a matter of
minutes. (Cortes & Zuñiga, 2020) It is indeed a great idea to add copper in masks. However,
despite of the unique characteristic of copper mask concerns regarding its efficacy in preventing
COVID-19 transmission still arise mainly because of the way it is designed. Copper masks
usually have a vent under the chin, which purpose is for unobstructed breathing of the wearer.
However, as mentioned earlier, masks that have vents and exhalation valves are not
recommended because respiratory droplets may enter or escape through the holes. Though the
chances of these droplets to enter or escape through the slit of the mask are low, it can still pose a
threat to its wearer and to other people, therefore, it should not be overlooked. The effectiveness
of copper masks is debatable and there are only quite few studies about it. As researchers, we felt
the need to investigate its effectiveness so that we would be able to inform as well as to spread
awareness to its wearers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
One way to scientifically test the effectiveness of a mask is through identifying how many
counts of aerosols or droplets escape from a person’s mouth when they speak while wearing a
mask. Dr. Martin Fischer, Ph.D., from duke university, developed a way to visualize the
effectiveness of different face coverings on droplet emissions during normal wear. This was
done by counting the droplets that propagate through the laser beam scatter light using a simple
computer algorithm. The materials they used were a suitable laser, cylindrical lens, mirror,
cellphone camera, and a card board box. The researchers of this study wanted to conduct the
same test to produce a more reliable result, however, the lack of proper materials and equipment,
such as a suitable laser and a computer algorithm, serve as their limitation in conducting the said
test. Nevertheless, the researchers conducted the following tests that would somehow determine
the effectiveness of copper mask.
Experimental set up
a.)
Lit candle test A lit candle is the only material required to conduct this test.
Procedure
While wearing a mask, the experimenter tried to extinguish the flame from the candle by
giving it agood blow.
b.)
The droplet protection tests the objective of this test was to determine if the material of a mask is
effective in acting as a barrier against water droplets.

Materials used were a glass of empty jar, dropper, phone timer, and the outer layer of copper
mask.
Procedures
The outer layer of the copper mask was placed over the mouth of the glass, and placed the elastic
band around the rim of the glass to hold the material in place. We then measured 5 mL of water
using a dropper and pour onto the material covering the glass. After pouring water on top of the
material we set a timer for 1 minute to see if the water would absorb or pass through the
material.
RESULT

a.) Candle test

Type of mask Observations

The flame on the candle got extinguished

Copper mask after blowing air as the experimenter
positioned his chin (where the vent is
located) directly above the flame.
b. Droplet protection test

Type of mask Observations

Copper mask The water turned into beads on the top of the
material after being poured.
DISCUSSION
COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus that continues to spread all over the world. It is
mostly transmitted through respiratory droplets produced by an infected individual. When these
droplets are inhaled by an uninfected individual, the transmission of the virus takes place. There
are helpful ways to avoid getting infected by the virus and help prevent its transmission. Aside
from washing our hands regularly and maintaining social distancing, another clever way is by
wearing a face mask. Face masks prevent the spread of the virus by blocking respiratory droplets
from entering into the nose and mouth of the wearer. Thus, offer protection to the wearer as well
as to other people. There are different kinds of face masks available in the market and it is
important to note that each kind of face masks do not share the same level of effectiveness. A
new kind of face mask that has copper, which is believed to have the ability to kill bacteria and
viruses, infused in its film begins to gain popularity. However, medical experts do not share the
same views on the effectiveness of this mask. According to the World Health Organization
(WHO), a face mask should be breathable, be able to act as barrier against droplets, and be able
to provide filtration. Keeping this in mind, we ought to determine the effectiveness of copper
mask as protection barrier against COVID-19 by testing its breathability, droplet protection, and
filtering efficiency. Copper mask has two adjustable strings on each side to ensure the mask fits
perfectly on the wearer’s face. According to a study, the mask to face fitting is important even in
the case of a tight fitting scenario, if there exist some small openings, this can lead to additional
leakage of droplets around the mask. (Dbuok and Drikakis,2020) There is usually a trade-off
between fit and breathability. When the face mask is tightly fitted around the face without
leaving any small openings, the breathability decreases. Therefore, increasing the face mask’s
efficiency. On the contrary, a loosely fitted face mask is not ideal for it allows droplets to slip
through the openings.Talking about openings, copper masks have holes located below the chin
which purpose is for comfortable breathing. However, as mentioned above that any openings
around the face mask is not ideal. Medical experts are concerned of the effectiveness of copper
mask, despite containing copper element, mostly because of its small hole. We, the researchers,
investigated the hole below the copper mask using the simple lit candle test. As a result, the
flame on the candle got extinguished on the second blow while wearing the copper mask as the
experimenter positioned his chin, where the vent is located, directly above but not too close to
the flame. This finding suggest that copper mask allows the exchange of air between the wearer
and his environment through its vent. The wearer can potentially inhale droplets-containing air
from his environment and can also potentially emit droplets-containing air to the environment as
they exhale. Another thing that affects the performance of a face mask is the ability of its
material to repel droplets.
During the experiment we conducted regarding the droplet protection capability of the outer
layer of copper mask, the water that was poured at the top of the mask formed into beads and not
even a small amount of water were able to pass through the mask’s outer layer. The beads of
water that was observed suggest that the material of the copper mask is hydrophobic, which
means that it is capable of repelling droplets. Aside from being hydrophobic, the main advantage
of copper mask when talking about droplet protection is the copper infused in its film. Copper in
different formats has been used in research and clinical settings to reduce the risk of bacterial
and viral contamination. It can eliminate pathogenic organisms such as coronavirus bacterial
strains, influenza virus, HIV, and fungi after a short period of exposure. Furthermore, the
 addition of copper nanoparticles to polymer/plastic matrices can also produce highly effective
antimicrobial materials. (Cortes and Zuñiga,2020)

CONCLUSION
Based on literature reviews and the findings of this study, the researchers concluded the
following:
1. The slit below the copper mask allows the exchange of air, therefore, decreasing the level of
protection it offers to its wearer as well as to the surrounding individuals.
2. The outer layer of the mask is made out of copper and is also hydrophobic. Which means
that the virus will easily be repelled and eliminated immediately.

RECOMMENDATION
Copper mask should only be used in community settings and discourage the use of it in
healthcare settings where there is highconcentration of infectious diseases such as the COVID-19.
The researcher recommend the following:

1. The slit below the copper mask poses a threat and should be removed from the design
2. Copper mask should only be used in community settings
3. The use of copper mask should be discouraged in healthcare settings
4. The experiment conducted in this study does not provide statistical data that could
determine the overall effectiveness of copper mask. Therefore, further studies are needed.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researchers would like to send their full and generous gratitude to the following people who
are involved throughout in making this study.

First of all, the researchers would like to thank God the heavenly father providing strength and
good health to continue this research despite of many struggles and the situation that the world is
facing right now.

Secondly, to the research advisers, Ms. Carminalane Labasano and Mr. Nicasao Balbontin who
guide the researchers to
Accomplished this research study and giving invaluable advice, continuous support and patience
during the research process.

Next, to the research members for sharing knowledge and helping each other to make this
research study successful.

And lastly, to the researcher’s parents for giving financial support in buying the materials needed
during the experimentation method.
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DOCUMENTATION
CURRICULIM VITAE

Reymart Marce
Email adress: marcemartyy@gmail.com
MJ Cuenco Avenue, Barangay Tejero

PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Age:19
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: July 28, 2001

Senior High School: Benedicto College Cebu City Campus

Don Bernardo Benedicto Street, Reclamation, 6014, Cebu City 2019-2021
Junior High School: Barrio Luz National High School
Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City 2015-2019
Elementary School: Barrio Luz Elementary School
Annalyn A. Navarroso
Email address: annalynnavarroza1207@gmail.com
Sitio Laray, Brgy. Carreta, Cebu City

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Age: 18 years old

Gender: Female
Date of Birth: December 7,2002

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Senior High School: Benedicto College Cebu City Campus
Don Bernardo Benedicto Street, Reclamation,
6014, Cebu City 2019-2021
Junior High School: Carreta Night High School
MJ Cuenco Carreta Cebu City 2017-2019
Elementary School: Sibayog Elementary School
Sibayog, Katipunan, ZN 2014-2015
Elmer de la cruz

Email adress:
j.jasperjay@gmail.com@gmail.com

Sitio. Zapatera bario Luz cebu city

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Age:19

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: april 5,2002

Senior High School: Benedicto College Cebu City Campus

Don Bernardo Benedicto Street, Reclamation, 6014, Cebu City 2019-2021

Junior High School: Barrio Luz National High School

Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City

Elementary School: Barrio Luz Elementary School

Justine Pardillo
Email address: pardillojustine52@gmail.com
Sitio Silangan 2 Brgy. Tejero Cebu City

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Age: 18 years old

Gender: Female
Date of Birth: March 23, 2003

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Senior High School: Benedicto College Cebu City Campus

Don Bernardo Benedicto Street, Reclamation,
6014, Cebu City 2019-2021
Junior High School : Tejero National High School 2015-2019
Elementary School: Tejero Elementary School 2009-2015
 Bryan Amber A. Saclao
Email address: zetroes@gmail.com
49 T. Padilla Cebu City
____________________________________________________________________
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Age: 18 years old
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: July 31, 2002
_____________________________________________________________________
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Senior High School: Benedicto College Cebu City Campus
Don Bernardo Benedicto Street, Reclamation,
6014, Cebu City 2019-2021
Junior High School : Athenaeum International School 2015-2019
Elementary School: Lyceum of Cebu 2009-2015