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NanoHack Mask is a last resort device with the purpose of offering protection from airborne particles and prevent spreading liquid contaminating the airways. Published data1 has shown that the filtration materials used by NanoHack (non-woven polypropylene, the same material used in surgical masks) achieves a filtration efficiency of 96.4% for microorganisms of 1 micron and 89.5% for microorganisms of 0.02 microns¹.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the design of surgical masks do not allow a complete protection from germs and other contaminants due to their loose fit². In addition, surgical masks are single-used devices required to be safely disposed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends placing these items it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash, then wash your hands after handling the used mask². Previous published research³ has indicated that the high viral load remaining in surgical masks and respirators, can be a source of viral transmission both to the person wearing the mask or respirators and to others³. This may happen when healthcare workers touch their mask and then fail to wash their hands properly or when they dispose of the mask without proper safe disposal precautions³. In addition, pathogens shedding from surgical respirators onto patients in the operating room, increasing the risk of nosocomial infections³. Thus, NanoHack Mask uses a recyclable and biocompatible polymer containing a copper nanocomposite that has shown antimicrobial properties.

References

1.Anna Davies, et al. Testing the Efficacy of Homemade Masks: Would They Protect in an Influenza Pandemic? Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, Available on CJO 2013 doi:10.1017/dmp.2013.43.

2.Food and Drug Administration (FDA): https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-and-surgical-masks-face-masks. Accessed March 20, 2020.

3.Borkow G, etal., (2010) A Novel Anti-Influenza Copper Oxide Containing Respiratory Face Mask. PLoS ONE 5(6): e11295. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011295.

Copper and Nano Copper inhibits the replication and propagation abilities of SARS- CoV⁴, influenza⁵ and other respiratory viruses, having a high antimicrobial (antiviral and antibacterial) potential and, as Copper can inactivate viruses as SARS-like and SARS- Cov⁴, influenza virus⁵, H1N1, and eliminates dangerous bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria, among others⁶, after a short period of exposure, Copper3D’s PLACTIVE^® and Mdflex^® could be an effective and low-cost complementary strategy to help reducing transmission of several infectious diseases by limiting nosocomial infectious transmission.

References

4. Han J, Chen L, Duan S, Yang Q, Yang M, Gao C, et al. Efficient and quick inactivation of SARS, coronavirus and other microbes exposed to the surfaces of some metal catalysts. Biomed Environ Sci BES, 2005.
5. Borkow G, Zhou SS, Page T, Gabbay J. A novel anti-influenza copper oxide containing respiratory face mask. PloS One. June 25, 2010;5(6):e11295.
6. Copper3D Inc. laboratory tests.

In the study by Borkow et al (2007)⁷, a 2.5 cm filter was designed containing a 2 cm thick top layer of 500 mg of non-woven polypropylen impregnated with 5% copper oxide particles. This study had a control that was non-woven polypropylen copper-free as a control.
Diffusion of viruses through filters containing copper oxide resulted in a significant reduction in viral titers from 0.47 log10 to 4.6 log10 depending on the virus analyzed.

According to this study, it can be concluded that a non-woven fabric filter impregnated with copper oxide is capable of generating filtration of viruses of different types, including respiratory viruses, as can be seen in the attached table.

References

7. Borkow G, etal., (2007) Neutralizing Viruses in Suspensions by Copper Oxide-Based Filters. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, p. 2605–2607.

In order to achieve optimum protection against the external environment, we recommend using a triple-layer non-woven polypropylene filter embedded in nano-copper developed by The Copper Company.

Scanning electronic microscope pictures of the copper oxide-impregnated polypropylene fibers⁷.

If you do not have access to this type of filter, the study by Anna Davies et al¹ analyze the filtering efficiency of different materials. See attached table:

CLAIMS ABOUT NANOHACK:

The purpose of the NanoMask is to offer the general population a degree of protection against airborne particles and to prevent the spread of liquid aerosols that could contaminate the airways.

• It is not an N95 mask. It is a face mask and should not be considered as a PPE.
• If you are a healthcare professional, you should use it as a last resort device: you cannot manipulate airway such as intubation, mechanical ventilation, fiberoptic bronchoscopy and similar procedures.
• You can use it in common spaces.
• It should be used for a maximum of 8 hours and change the non-woven filter once a day. After handling the active filter, you should wash your hands and follow precautions as recommended by the health authority.
• Nanohack is a polymer based device, we recommend using PLACTIVE® (PLA based material) for the monoblock structure and MDflex® (TPU based material) to print the outer rim. With this setup, you can have a comfortable mask with a good seal.
• We understand that there may eventually be complex access to MDflex® in some parts of the world. This is why we have released a version with an integrated rim into the monoblock structure. With this solution you can obtain a structure that fits properly but that must be complemented with some additional sealant and hypoallergenic cushioned tapes for nose and cheeks, especially if it is going to be used for long periods of time.
• Keep in mind also that if you leave the elastic bands very tight it can hurt you, we don’t want the use of NanoHack to be counterproductive or cause you discomfort.
• The NanoHack was designed to fit a 12 cm height face very well, measured from the tip of the chin to the ocular plane, a horizontal line that passes just between the eyes, and a distance between cheekbones (measured straight above the nose) also 12 cm.
• We understand that all faces are different. If your face is smaller or larger than these measurements, we suggest rescaling the model by 5% or 10% so that there is a perfect fit to your face.

CLEANING CONSIDERATIONS
1. Washing: Wash the equipment with soap (e.g. liquid dish soap) and clean water.
2. Rinsing: Rinse the equipment completely with clean water.
3. Disinfect: Disinfect the equipment to inactivate any remaining pathogens. Use chemical disinfection if plastic part cannot tolerate 80°C. Different countries have different disinfection protocols. Here are the most accessible chemical germicides and methods:

• 3.1. Method 1: Alcohol is effective against influenza virus. Ethyl alcohol (70%) is a powerful broad-spectrum
  germicide and is considered generally superior to isopropyl alcohol. Since alcohol is flammable, limit its use as a surface disinfectant to small surface-areas and use it in well-ventilated spaces only. Prolonged and repeated use of alcohol as a disinfectant can also cause discoloration, swelling, hardening and cracking of rubber and certain plastics.

• 3.2. Method 2: Most household bleach solutions contain 5% sodium hypochlorite (50, 000 parts per million available chlorine). Recommended dilution: 1:100 dilution of 5% sodium hypochlorite is the usual recommendation. Use 1-part bleach to 99 parts cold tap water (1:100 dilution) for disinfection of surfaces. Adjust ratio of bleach to water as needed to achieve appropriate concentration of sodium hypochlorite. For example, for bleach preparations containing 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, use twice as much bleach (i.e. 2 parts bleach to 98 parts water).

4. Rinsing: If using chemical disinfection, rinse with sterile or clean water (i.e. water boiled for 5 minutes and cooled). Sterile water is preferred for rinsing off residual liquid chemical disinfectant from a respiratory device that has been chemically disinfected for reuse, because tap or distilled water may harbor microorganisms that can cause pneumonia. However, when rinsing with sterile water is not feasible, instead, rinse with tap water or filtered water (i.e. water passed through a 0.2 μ filter). Disinfection by immersion is recommended with a contact time of 30 minutes.
5. Dry equipment: Follow the previous step by an alcohol rinse and forced-air drying.
6. Store: Store equipment dry in closed packages.

1.Infection Prevention and Control of Epidemic- and Pandemic-Prone Acute Respiratory Infections in Health Care. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014. Annex I, Cleaning and disinfection of respiratory equipment. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK214361