Designation:F2101−14StandardTestMethodforEvaluatingtheBacterialFiltrationEfficiency(BFE)ofMedicalFaceMaskMaterials,UsingaBiologicalAerosolofStaphylococcusaureus1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF2101;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.INTRODUCTIONWorkers,primarilythoseinthehealthcareprofession,involvedintreatingandcaringforindividualsinjuredorsick,aswellasthepatient,canbeexposedtobiologicalaerosolscapableoftransmittingdisease.Thesediseases,whichmaybecausedbyavarietyofmicroorganisms,canposesignificantriskstolifeandhealth.Sinceengineeringcontrolscannoteliminateallpossibleexposures,attentionisplacedonreducingthepotentialofairborneexposurethroughtheuseofmedicalfacemasks.1.Scope1.1Thistestmethodisusedtomeasurethebacterialfiltrationefficiency(BFE)ofmedicalfacemaskmaterials,employingaratiooftheupstreambacterialchallengetodownstreamresidualconcentrationtodeterminefiltrationeffi-ciencyofmedicalfacemaskmaterials.1.2Thistestmethodisaquantitativemethodthatallowsfiltrationefficiencyformedicalfacemaskmaterialstobedetermined.Themaximumfiltrationefficiencythatcanbedeterminedbythismethodis99.9%.1.3Thistestmethoddoesnotapplytoallformsorcondi-tionsofbiologicalaerosolexposure.Usersofthetestmethodshouldreviewmodesforworkerexposureandassesstheappropriatenessofthemethodfortheirspecificapplications.1.4Thistestmethodevaluatesmedicalfacemaskmaterialsasanitemofprotectiveclothingbutdoesnotevaluatematerialsforregulatoryapprovalasrespirators.Ifrespiratoryprotectionforthewearerisneeded,aNIOSH-certifiedrespi-ratorshouldbeused.Relativelyhighbacterialfiltrationeffi-ciencymeasurementsforaparticularmedicalfacemaskmaterialdoesnotensurethatthewearerwillbeprotectedfrombiologicalaerosolssincethistestmethodprimarilyevaluatestheperformanceofthecompositematerialsusedinthecons...
