With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of face masks by the general public has become a critical personal protective measure to minimize person-to-person transmission. While health care workers use medical or surgical masks, the general population uses non-medical, otherwise known as hygienic, face masks to greatly reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by capturing droplets and aerosols from those infected with the virus.
In response to the increased demand for both the number and variety of non-medical face masks, many companies are now producing them to meet the public’s need, and with this great variety, the quality and the safety of the face masks must be assessed. This work describes the considerations surrounding metal analysis in hygienic face masks used to prevent the spread of COVID-19.