Face mask from agri-food wastes

Never did we know that our biggest enemy in the 21st century will be some microscopic creatures. With thousands of viruses and its variants lurking around, the demand for face masks will never end. A team of Egyptian scientists in collaboration with an Irish scientist has recently developed a face mask, which is made of sugarcane bagasse, potato peel starch, and shrimp shell chitosan. The pore size of the face mask is 36-37 nm, which ensures breathability yet virus protection and outperforms the conventional N95 mask. The pore size remains invariant with temperature ensuring its usage in different climates and the mask is biodegradable.

This product is one step forward towards sustainable manufacturing. The use of agri-food waste significantly reduces the carbon footprint in comparison to conventional masks and promotes circular economy.

Source:

Salma O. M. Elshabrawy, Sherifa Elhady, Amal Elhussieny, Tania Dey, Irene Samy Fahim (2024). Preparation and characterization of face masks made of bagasse, starch and chitosan obtained from agricultural and food wastes. Environmental Sustainability 7 (3), 339-348.

doi.org/10.1007/s42398-024-00320-0