Filtration evaluation and clinical use of expired elastomeric P-100 filter cartridges during the COVID-19 pandemic

Filtration evaluation of expired elastomeric P-100 filter cartridges after months of real-world use during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

“…4 There was no subjective feeling that the filters were difficult to breathe through by any of the users. No external damage apart from the expected "wear and tear" of the filter cartridge label, likely due to multiple episodes of wiping and cleaning, was noted with the used filters Filtration efficiency of the used filters and the control P100 filters from our expired stock was quantified using the same methodology described by Patolia et al 5 The pair of filter cartridges from each user was tested with the testing run in duplicate. Elastomeric filters that were in good condition but long past their shelf life remained effective at filtering out aerosol -size particles after being used in the "real-world" healthcare setting.…”

“…3,4 We previously determined that unopened P100 elastomeric filter cartridges received from the strategic national stockpile (SNS), which were 6 years past their shelf-life, offered similar filtration efficiency to the N95 respirator. 5 Our current study evaluates how these filters performed following use in the real-world (ie, healthcare) setting. Information pertaining to this topic is lacking.…”

“…Filtration efficiency of the used filters and the control P100 filters from our expired stock was quantified using the methodology described by Patolia et al 5 The pair of filter cartridges from each user was tested with the testing run in duplicate.…”