According to an article published by Christensen and Senthilingam (2020) of CNN,

coronaviruses are a wide group of viruses found in many species. They are zoonotic in

extreme circumstances, meaning they can be transferred from animals to humans,

according to scientists. People may become ill from the viruses, which normally cause a

mild to moderate upper respiratory tract infection, similar to a common cold. A runny nose,

cough, sore throat, headache, and probably a fever, are all signs of the coronavirus which

can last for a few days. There is a risk that the virus could cause a lower, and much more

severe, respiratory tract illness like pneumonia or bronchitis in those with a weakened

immune system, the elderly, and the very young.

Face masks help prevent coronavirus transmission from one person to another, as

it hinders the secretions, such as cough droplets, from an infected person to be

transmitted to another. This is mainly the reason why the use of face masks as protective

gear from secretions is essential. In fact, under the office of the President of the

Philippines (Malacañang), Memorandum Order No. 49 was signed “directing all

concerned coordinate and government agencies to pool their resources and efforts into

the production and distribution of face masks.”

Masks have been shown to reduce virus emissions from infected people.

According to Leung et al. (2020) in their article, “Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and
efficacy of face masks,” zero (0) out of 11 patients who wore surgical face

masks was detected to have spread coronavirus. This suggests that surgical face masks

can help infected persons release less coronavirus.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2021) defined surgical masks as

disposable, loose-fitting products that provide a physical barrier between the mouth and

nose of the wearer and potentially harmful pollutants in the immediate environment.

Henneberry (2021) said that nonwoven fabrics made of plastics such as polypropylene

are used in manufacturing surgical face masks, to filter and cover. She then added that it

is important to remember that surgical masks are designed to protect the face from
splashes or aerosols (such as moisture from a sneeze), and are designed to fit loosely

on the face, unlike surgical respirators which are designed to filter airborne particles

including viruses and bacteria while also providing a seal around the mouth and nose.

Surgical masks are commonly made up of three layers that function differently.

The three-ply layers of surgical masks work as follows: the outer layer repels water, blood, and other
body fluids; the middle layer filters certain pathogens; and the inner layer absorbs moisture and sweat
from exhaled air (Sampson,2020).

Laboratory studies validated the ability of surgical masks on providing both inward

and outward protection against viruses and bacteria. An article published by Ueki et al.

(2020) entitled “Effectiveness of Face Masks in Preventing Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV2” states
that the ability of masks to block the influenza virus was linked to its

ability to block droplets/aerosols. This was then seconded by Milton et al. (2013), stating

that the amount of virus released into the air was decreased when influenza patients wore

surgical masks for source control during breathing and coughing.

Given the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, which has been

labeled the "second worst outbreak in Southeast Asia" (Jiao & Calonzo, 2020), one major

source of concern is the scarcity of medical-grade face masks for frontline healthcare

workers, for which more evidence of efficacy exists. As a result, the public at large has

now access to a wide range of face masks that give varying amounts of protection, one

of which is a homemade cloth face mask. Maclntyre et al. (2015) indicated in their “A

cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare

workers” that the filtration, effectiveness, fit, and performance of cloth masks are

substandard when compared to those medical masks and respirators. It is as well

included that the protection offered by cloth masks can be enhanced by increasing the

number of cloth layers with appropriate materials, ensuring that the structure of the mask

provides filtration and fit.

Regardless of the functional approach of cloth mask, cotton cloth, its raw material,
will take 1 to 5 months of decomposition as stated by the Peace Corps Office of Overseas

Programming and Training (2017). Not only that, but World Health Organization (2020)

strongly suggests that the middle filter layer of cloth masks should be made from

polypropylene, just as surgical face masks are made from polypropylene which is a plastic

polymer. This polymer adds plastic or microplastic which can potentially contaminate the

environment due to its chemical properties, resulting in an increase of generational waste

from plastic-induced disposable face masks (Fadare et al., 2020).

The prevalence of the COVID-19 virus significantly affects not only human beings

but also the surroundings. Due to the number of abandoned face masks, the

environmental crisis has come to an alarming rate. Countries begin to increase their mask

production, USA with 89 million (Xiang et al., 2020), UK in around 24.37 billion per year

(Liebsch, 2020), Japan with 600 million per month (Fadare and Okoffo, 2020), and

Philippines with 25 million masks per month (Crismundo, 2020). The increase in mask usage happens to
be directly proportional to the increase in mask production. These

statistics indicate that plastic waste is drastically increasing which can further cause

negative impacts to both human and animal health. In view of foregoing, a biodegradable

alternative that can meet the mask demand can help ease this circumstance.

Paper can be the alternative. Paper is commonly known for its biodegradability,

compostability, and sustainability. It is not just used for writing, printing, and packaging

but is also used as a filter, such as in filtering coffee, air conditioners, and even used as

a common tool in laboratories (Martin, 2015; Hawach Scientific, 2020). Paper is produced

from a fibrous raw material. As we know today, woods are the most valuable suppliers of

fiber. Wood contributes to more than 90% of all fiber processing worldwide (Muhammad

et al., 2016) which are derived from wood species, mostly hardwoods and softwoods

(Fahmy & Ibrahim,1970; Brännvall, 2008).

The fibers needed to produce paper come from various sources, one of which is

the cellulose fibers from plants (Ulin, 2010). According to the book section written by Islam

and Rahman (2019) entitled “Production and modification of nanofibrillated cellulose composites and
potential applications” from the book “Green Composites for Automotive Applications,” cellulose is the
world's most abundant renewable natural biopolymer which
is found in a wide range of living species such as animals, microbes, and plants. In plants,

it is the most important structural element. Due to their availability, high strength,

biodegradability, renewability, low price, and other good features, nanofibrillated

cellulosic materials have gotten a lot of interest.

An example of a plant containing cellulose is the Cocos nucifera, generally known

as the coconut tree, with 28.72% cellulose fiber (Rojas-Valencia et al., 2018). Cocos

nucifera is a tropical plant belonging to the Arecaceae (Palmae) family that grows

abundantly in coastal areas of tropical countries (Main et al., 2014). As stated by Sec.

William Dar (2019) of the Department of Agriculture, in the Philippines, the average

production of coconut trees is 45 nuts per tree per year and the only silver lining is that

the country contains around 3.5 million hectares of coconut plantations hence marking it

as “the third most dominant crop after rice and corn.” However, the massive coconut

production also resulted in a rise in agricultural waste. In fact, coconut coir fiber is one of

the most common agricultural wastes in the Philippines (Dela Cruz et al., 2020).

Espiritu (2020) indicated in his “Coconut Coir: What It Is, How To Use It, And The Best Brands To Buy
Coconut” that coconut coir or coco coir is the material that lies

between the shell and the outer coating of the coconut seed and is made up of two

different types of fibers: brown and white. Brown coir is made from mature, ripe coconuts

and is stronger than white coir, although it is less flexible. Whereas white fibers come

from unripe coconuts and are significantly more flexible than brown coir, but they are also

significantly less strong. Coconut coir fiber is a good material to be used as a filter.

According to Wardoyo et al. (2016), coconut fiber has the potential to be utilized in the

development of a filter for ultrafine particles released by automobiles. In fact, a single filter

layer was determined to have an efficacy greater than 30%. Also, in an article published

by Islam et al., (2017) entitled “Suitability of Recycled Coconut Fiber as Filter Media for the Treatment of
Wastewater” states that coconut fiber can be utilized as an alternative

filter media for the removal of contaminants and fungus since it contains a large number of micro-pores
with a standard surface area. These studies enable the idea of Coconut
fiber to be used as a material for face masks.

Piña fibers can also be used as a material for face masks. This is because its

chemical composition and physical properties are similar to flax fibers. As a result, Piña

fiber, like flax fiber, could be converted into a nonwoven that acts as an air filter (Asim et

al., 2015). Moreover, a study conducted by Mopoung and Amornsakchai (2016) proves

that piña fiber is a suitable material for the manufacture of adsorption filters. Piña fibers

are fibers from a plant containing cellulose, the Ananas comosus, whose leaf contains

70% and 82% cellulose fibers, also known as piña fibers (Tanpichai et al., 2019). Ananas

comosus, generally known as pineapple, is a tropical fruit-bearing plant belonging to the

Bromeliaceae family. In the Philippines, pineapple is one of the most important

agricultural export. The country is home to some of the largest pineapple plantations in

the world, making it the world's top pineapple grower now, excluding the pineapple sector

of Thailand (Gaille, 2018). According to Laftah and Rahaman (2015) as an addition to

what they have said, pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) is a non-wood fiber that can be utilized

in paper manufacture.

Papers, in nature, are always vulnerable to water, making it impossible to wear as

a face mask under stormy weather. To make paper waterproof, a reliable eco-friendly

material, the papaya latex, can be used. In an article written by Yogiraj et al. (2014)

entitled “Carica papaya Linn: An Overview” states that papaya (Carica papaya Linn) is a

member of the Caricaceae family. Papaya has a lot of latex in its stem, leaf, and fruit in

which chymopapain and papain enzymes are found. As natural rubber latex, papain has

“intrinsic hydrophobic properties” which provides molecular structures with extremely high

molecular weight (Samyn et al., 2020). The study of Cusola and the CELBIOTECH (n.d.),

from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya BarcelonaTech (UPC), supports this for

they have successfully produced a hydrophobic paper that allows the paper to become

waterproofed without using a chemical reagent. Adding all raw materials up opens the

door for organic face masks to be produced.

Since this study is limited to testing the humidity level of the mask, the viral

protection efficacy is concluded after having to test the mask’s breathability and the breath
temperature. Dr. David Price (2020), chair of the Department of Family Medicine at

McMaster University in Hamilton said, "When you're breathing through a mask you're

having to work a little bit harder to breathe in the first place, especially depending on how

thick your mask is. And then the other thing is you're rebreathing some of your air, so it's

heating it up a little bit. So you've got not only the heat on the outside, but now you've got

the heat inside the mask too." According to Castro (2021), air temperature is closely

related to humidity. This is because when the temperature changes, the humidity levels

in the air alter as well. This will be noticed when the air is warm because warm air can

store more moisture or water vapor than cold air. According to Courtney and Bax (2021),

the humidity formed inside face masks may provide extra protection against COVID-19.

In the Biophysical Journal, they then wrote that face masks significantly raise the effective

humidity of inhaled air, encouraging hydration of the respiratory epithelium, which has

been shown to benefit the immune system. They then added that increased humidity in

the inspired air could be another explanation for the now well-established relationship

between mask use and illness severity reduction.

With the COVID-19 outbreak, face mask production is now escalating around the

globe whether be it surgical or cloth face mask. Surgical face masks are made from

nonwoven fabrics made of plastics such as polypropylene (Henneberry, 2021). Whereas

cloth face masks are made of cotton, however, the middle filter layer of the cloth face

mask must also be made from polypropylene, as suggested by World Health Organization

(2020). This makes both surgical and cloth face mask a hazard in the environment. To

help ease this circumstance, a biodegradable alternative that can meet the mask demand

can be used. Paper can be the alternative for it is commonly known for its biodegradability.

Paper is made from cellulose fibers (Main et al., 2014). These fibers can be found on

various plants or plant parts, some of which are the Cocos nucifera husk, generally known

as coconut husk, and the Ananas comosus leaf, also known as pineapple leaf. Thus,

these raw materials are plausible to be used for paper production.

Paper in nature is vulnerable to water. Papaya latex can be used to aid this
problem. This is because the papaya latex contains papain enzymes which, as natural

rubber latex, has “intrinsic hydrophobic properties” (Samyn et al., 2020).