Commuting - pollution masks

I commute five miles each way per day in London, and am getting fed up of inhaling lung-fulls of sooty exhaust fumes from buses, lorries and other road vehicles. I'm thinking of getting a pollution filter mask, but have heard contradictory reviews, some saying they are great, others saying the masks don't filter out the smallest (most dangerous) particles, and restrict breathing.

What are peoples experience of these masks? Asthmatics who find they alleviate their problems? People who say their breathing is restricted? All sides of the story wanted!!

Moog

Suggest that you vist your local industrial supply house to
find the correct mask for your riding. Yes, the correct mask
as there are many types of filters for different applications.

I can understand why you would need one in London as diesel
is the fuel of choice for busses, lorries, etc. I also know
that breathing to much diesel exhust IS very bad for your
health so best of luck finding the correct mask,mate.

I've racked my brain on this one. The restriction of breathing is something of a problem for me because some of my riding involves a lot of rolling-hill type roads, right next to slower moving traffic.

If you come up with anything, or even a possibility, please post it.


Joe.

Pressure ventilation...
A pump driven by pedal power, forcing air through the filter... :)

Try the "Breathe Smog" mask (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=115&subcategory=1130&brand=&sku=10570&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename) over at Nashbar. I've seen these elsewhere in the City. Probably a good idea to wear but I've got so many accessories as it is...

Breathe’s smog mask will protect the user from harmful effects of smog and pollution. It is made from hypo-allergenic neoprene, fastened at the back with Velcro and is equipped with 2 exhalation valves. The mask comes with a tightly woven carbon filter which is most often used in environmental and pharmaceutical industries and is designed to filter out a wide spectrum of pollutants. The filter is replaceable and is sold separately.

I doubt it does much. it takes sore rpetty fine filtering to get most airborn gas pollutants.

Try the "Breathe Smog" mask (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=115&subcategory=1130&brand=&sku=10570&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename) over at Nashbar. I've seen these elsewhere in the City. Probably a good idea to wear but I've got so many accessories as it is...

Breathe’s smog mask will protect the user from harmful effects of smog and pollution. It is made from hypo-allergenic neoprene, fastened at the back with Velcro and is equipped with 2 exhalation valves. The mask comes with a tightly woven carbon filter which is most often used in environmental and pharmaceutical industries and is designed to filter out a wide spectrum of pollutants. The filter is replaceable and is sold separately.

I am a commuting bicyclist, who has written on these forums for several years. My day job, however, is as on environmental health and safety engineer for a high-tech company. So I am going to make some comments here which may not endear me with the bicycle manufacturers.

The above respirator may, and may not, work. It has to my knowledge never been tested. All industrial respirators used in the United States must pass a "technical certification," receive a TC number, and are listed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for use in industrial environments. There are a number of different certifications, and types of respirators. Half-face, particulate respirators can be either disposable, or reusable. The reusable ones are generally made of rubber or silicone, and have cartridges for specific hazards. Once the hazard is known, then the respirator can be chosen to meet the hazard. In the occupational environment, the employer must set up a respirator program. This program consists of:

--Hazard evaluation and respirator selection.
--Training for the employee concerning how to use the respirator.
--A medical evaluation to ensure that the respirator user can use a respirator without medical problems.
--Fit testing of the respirator to ensure that the respirator will not leak.

To find out more about respirators, you can visit the following sites:

NIOSH Respirator Information (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/)

NIOSH Respirator User's Guide (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/userguid.html)

So, knowing the above, what is the hazard. It is diesel exhaust, which has very small particulates, and some gases. The gases would be nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide. There are several ways to go here, but if you want a respirator only for the diesel particulates, then a HEPA (high efficiency particulate) respirator would do. These can be either disposable, or half-face chemical respirators with cartridges. If you don't care about the gases, then a disposable N-95 certified respirator (such as was used for the SARS outbreak last year) will do well. N-95 is a listing which means that the respirator will remove 95% of the particles greater than 0.5 microns in diameter. If you also want to get rid of the gases, you need a cartridge respirator which will absorb both CO and nitrous oxides.

The above respirator claims to do this, but it needs to be fit tested to ensure a fit. I would also like to see more information on its filtering capabilities. If they cannot provide data, assume that the respirator cannot filter what it claims it can.

Once you get the respirator, a fit test is vital to ensure that it works. Fit tests can be conducted by any occupational medicine clinic. A sweat or irritant aerosol is used to test the fit, and see whether it actually works. This would be a great way to test the above respirator.

Now, the question was brought up about a respirator which would not inhibit breathing, such as pumping up those long hills but in a highly polluted environment. Well, such a creature does exist, and is called a Powerd Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR). Basically, there is a small package you wear on your back, with a hood over your head and a tube for the filtered air to flow to the hood. It may not be the best for visibility in the less expensive models, but is used by farmers and others in high particulate environments.

Now, about the risk itself. My wife receives The New England Journal of Medicine, and in it's October 21, 204 issue there is an article about "Exposure to Traffic and the Onset of Myocardial Infarction." This is a very interesting article, with several references I want to read. This is a study of heart attacks by 691 people exposed to traffic in Augsburg, Germany. The exposure could be either by being in a car in traffic, a bicycle, or public transportation. Here is an interesting quote:


The short-term health effects of air pollution on the cardiovascular system have been studied intensively in the past decade. Particulate matter is considered to be of primary concern(20,21) Studies of exposure to ambient particles have indicated that passengers in cars and buses have a greater exposure than is measured at a distance of 100 m or more from vehicular traffic. (22,23) The concentrations of particulate matter varied according to the route and the density of the traffic and might resemble concentrations at urban curbsides. For people traveling by car or bus, exposure to particulates is about two times as high as for cyclists. (22,24-26) Although high rates of ventilation increase the amount of particles deposited in the airways, (22,25,26) cyclists may be able to l/eave congested situations (i.e., polluted microenvironments) more quickly than people in cars or buses.(22)

In short, it appears we cyclists have less exposure to these pollutants than do people in cars and buses. Remember, the particles they are talking about are very, very tiny, and cannot be seen for the most part.

My strategy is to try actively to avoid these exhausts. I use some of the principles for protection from radiation: time, distance and shielding.

Time: pick the time of day to avoid the highest traffic. Limit time in high traffic areas to a minimum. You can see that 100 m can remove a lot of the pollutants. At times, I've seen a truck blow a bunch of exhaust garbage into the air, and I have stopped. I waited for a full minute (its a long time to look at a watch's second hand;) ), then proceeded. The air was clear by then. I also hold my breath through some real bad areas.

Distance: that 100 meters can be gained by going a different route, using back roads that are quieter.

Shielding: Trees, houses, etc. can provide breaks and shield you from pollutants. I have a bike path that goes beside a freeway, and recently I have been taking a different route in front of stores in their parking lots. These are parallel routes, which are about 100 m apart (maybe a bit less), with building between.

There are three types of controls used by the safety and industrial hygiene professionals to protect employees. They can also be used by cyclists. These are engineering controls, administrative controls and the use of personal protective equipment. Engineering and administrative controls are always preferable to PPE, as they are more sure and not as subject to malfunction. Usually, we don't have much control of engineering, but taking a bike path (not bike lane, which is right on the road) rather than riding the road is an engineering control for diesel exhaust. But PPE (in this case respirators) can also be used in combination with administrative controls (time, distance and shielding) to achieve greater protection from diesel exhaust. I hope this helps.

John

you filled in where I left off (G)
if a guy you also have to be clean shaven too. it's a pain to get a good seal and I sure would not want to ride with any mask on. it woudl be so uncomfertable.
I think scoba gear would be the only practical method (G)

I am a commuting bicyclist, who has written on these forums for several years. My day job, however, is as on environmental health and safety engineer for a high-tech company. So I am going to make some comments here which may not endear me with the bicycle manufacturers.
<snip>


WOW! thanks John. that was really great reading.

That was interesting but isn't there something a little closer to the consumer level that would help? I mean I can't imagine anybody wearing a bag on their head with a tube attached to a backpack while riding their bike. Some things just aren't practical, and unless you're really paranoid about pollution, I doubt a casual commuter is going to go get their products tested etc.

John did an excellent job. I've worked as an industrial x-ray tech in the petro chemical industry where I had to have evaluation and fit test for resperators and yes you would have to be really paranoid about pollutants (or eviromentally sensitive) to go that route but it is likely the most effective way. You do have to be clean shaven for the resperator to be effective and leak free and one fit test is not for a lifetime. You need to do fit tests over because your face changes.

SCBA (self contained breathing apperatus) is in practical due to smaller (known as escape units) only hold 5 minutes of air while larger units are heavy and with higher levels of physical work (like riding a bicycle) you will find the air tank empty sooner.

As for the commercial units sold to the general public I don't think they will be too effective because they don't take some of the above conciderations into account

Apparently, the respro series of masks is the only sport-filter mask to do a decent job of filtering small pollutants.

fatbat

SCBA (self contained breathing apperatus) is in practical due to smaller (known as escape units) only hold 5 minutes of air while larger units are heavy and with higher levels of physical work (like riding a bicycle) you will find the air tank empty sooner.


it was a joke (G) but hey mabye we can make bicycle tubes into the compressed air tanks. then if you get hit by a car mabye you can take them out too (G)

Today, I rode home wearing my half-face respirator. I used a North respirator with a N-100 HEPA filter on it (two cartridges). It was not difficult at all. There was a bit more breathing resistance, but not that much more. I did notice several things. I stopped to turn on a light in my work parking lot, and one of my workmates stopped his car to see whether I needed help. But it was very difficult to talk with him. It's well known that communications is inhibited by a respirator, and this simply confirmed it. Also, I noticed that even in the cold air, my safety glasses did not fog up. That's because the exhalation valve is below my chin, and so no warm, moist air from my breath got to the glasses. Finally, I did not smell the car exhausts. All in all, I will be using the respirator again.

A couple of other points:

--Respirators need attention. They cannot just be used over and over again. The filters need changing once they become clogged (or for those with activated charcoal, when gases are smelled through them). The mask needs to be cleaned after each use to prevent the development of bmacterial buildup inside it.

--Fit testing for the general public is not necessary, but is highly desireable (it's the law for workers). You can test the fit of the half-face non-disposable cartridge respirators by covering the filters, and breathing in. If the respirator collapses onto your face, the fit is good. If air leaks around the seals, it is not. Then blow out while plugging the exhaust valve. It should inflate slightly before air leaks around the seals. This is a test that workers must perform each time they put on a respirator, even after they have been fit tested.

--If you have asthma, clausterphobia, or any other thing that could affect wearing a respirator, get a respirator physical first. Tell the doc why you want to wear one, and bring it with you (many who do respirator physicals can do the fit testing). Since there is increased breathing resistance, and you are bicycling, be very careful here. If you even have the question, get a physical.

John

While you're at it, increase your vitamin C intake...it increases your lung's defenses against air pollution.

Consumer-level urban commute cycling experience: None of the filters are worth it when the tradeoff of heavier breathing, icky moistness, steaming-up glasses, etc, is all taken into account. Instead, get in the habit of nose-breathing. Snot is a damn good filter and it's self-changing when spent.

Mind you, fume filters do look cool.

Consumer-level urban commute cycling experience: None of the filters are worth it when the tradeoff of heavier breathing, icky moistness, steaming-up glasses, etc, is all taken into account. Instead, get in the habit of nose-breathing. Snot is a damn good filter and it's self-changing when spent.

Mind you, fume filters do look cool.

I rode my bike, and wore the same mask as yesterday, this morning. I have some more interesting observations. This morning's commute was cold; it froze on the ground for the first time this Fall. Here's my experience from this morning.

The respirator does work to keep moisture off the glasses. I didn't have the usual fogging problems this morning. I had one hill to climb, and found that even with the respirator it was not difficult. Then it got interesting. As I said, today started out clear and cold. Well, when it's cold, I get the runny-nose syndrome. But with a respirator on, it cannot be "self-changing" as is noted above. It must either stay in the respirator, go out the exhalation valve, or be incorporated some other way. I chose to incorporate some of it, actually a good bit of it. So my mention of washing out the respirator each day is vital when it is used for bicycling.

Now, there is another part of the above quote I would like to discuss--the notion that snot is a good filter. For large particles, it is. Stuff in the air will settle onto the hairs and mucus, and be expelled. This actually happens throughout the respiratory tract, except if you smoker. The reason is something called the "muco-cilliary escalator." The cells of the respiratory tract have hair-like structures called cillia. These beat in a specific direction, out. A constant blanket of mucus is being beat out of our lungs, taking these large particles out with it. We then either spit them out, or swallow them (as above;)). But this applies only to fairly large particles.

Diesel exhaust particles are very small; they don't settle out. Instead, they stay with the air flow, and penetrate very deep into the lungs, actually into the alveoli themselves (air sacs). They are less than a micron in diameter (0.5 microns = 1.96850394 x 10-05 inches = 0.00002 inches). This means they are deposited deep in the lungs, and a significant number end up in the air sacs themselves. They cannot settle because the motion of the molecules in the air keeps them suspended (Brownian motion). But they go to the places the molecules go. They deposite deep in the lung, and can diffuse into the cells in the air sacs. Breathing through the nose does not significantly affect this deposition. Here's a PubMed Reference Article (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2478161&dopt=Abstract)

So the effects of diesel are real, and respiratory protection can be helpful. But so can the time/distance/shielding principles I discussed earlier. You will need extra maintenance time if you use a respirator, though, unless it is a disposable one. More on that later.

John

Wow, you should combine all this **** and put it in a FAQ and they should lock it here. Very informative stuff, John. Thanks very much.

I notice irritants in heavy traffic here in Wichita during rush hour, but if i take one way streets and avoid the main ones it's a lot better.

I think i will use ur tiime, distance, and shielding thing-- avoiding the busy streets, keeping distance from trucks and buses, and etc.

Wow, great thread. From my commuting experience, I'd be concerned with the inability to get drivers' attention (i.e. can't yell). In any case, this thread has certainly made me more interested in a Car-Free Central Park. :D (yes, non-NYC-people, we have cars in CP!)

Can I ask John C Ratcliff what his North respirator is made of? Does it slip off your nose if your get hot and sweaty? I've been painting some windows recently with a respirator and (in the summer) if my face got too sweaty the mask slipped off. Do you still think these are the best to get? I need to do something - I am allergic to the fumes I think; I get so tired and miserable after less 15 mins of rush hour traffic. Just an ordinary commercial cycle fume mask will not help I don't think, and theya re very expensive. Its good that youve posted that stuff, thanks.

Can I ask John C Ratcliff what his North respirator is made of? Does it slip off your nose if your get hot and sweaty? I've been painting some windows recently with a respirator and (in the summer) if my face got too sweaty the mask slipped off. Do you still think these are the best to get? I need to do something - I am allergic to the fumes I think; I get so tired and miserable after less 15 mins of rush hour traffic. Just an ordinary commercial cycle fume mask will not help I don't think, and theya re very expensive. Its good that youve posted that stuff, thanks.

Karenaurora,

First, let me say that you need to get a physical. Something is not right--getting tired and miserable after less than 15 minutes in rush hour traffic. I don't think you are allergic to fumes; the allergic reactions to substances are not simply getting tired and miserable. It may not be the atmosphere, but something within that is not right. Saying that, schedule the physical right after your commute, and have them take a blood carboxyhemoglobin test. It could be that the problem is carbon monoxide poisoning, and not diesel particles (carbon monoxide is a component of all internal combustion engines). It would also be good to get a stress EKG, to make sure the ol' ticker is ticking properly. And make sure to tell the doc that you plan to ride with a respirator, and therefore should get the one you buy fitted correctly.

Now, having gotten the physical out of the way. there are other points to discuss. A good, half-face respirator has two straps, and one goes over the top of the head. If it is adjusted correctly, there is no way it should become dislodged by a sweaty face. It sounds like your respirator did not fit correctly. There are a number of reputable manufacturers of respirators, and these include Wilson, North and MSA. Go to a safety supply house (or look up Lab Safety on the web) to get some.

I mentioned carbon monoxide above (CO is the chemical abbreviation) because I know of one study of drunk driving accidents in the Seattle, WA area some years ago. In the study, researchers found high levels of CO in the drivers who were arrested for drunk driving accidents. They hypothesized that the CO caused further deterioration in the driving ability of the drivers, who had also been drinking. Carbon monoxide adheres to hemoglobin in our red blood cells better than oxygen. It therefore displaces the oxygen, and when breathed in very large quantities, can cause death. The condition is called carbon monoxide poisoning. Before that, it can cause the tiredness and headaches you previously described. But, you cannot automatically assume that it is the CO; it needs to be checked out--15 minutes is probably too short a time period for this effect to occur.

Now, if it is CO, how do you protect against it. The respirator I described in earlier threads was for diesel particles, not for gases. To remove gases, a filter with an agent which removes the CO. These are color coded (and the color escapes me right now). Organic vapor cartridges will remove the paint vapors, but may not work well for CO. The other problem is that CO does not have any "warning properties." It cannot be smelled. Therefore, there is no way to know when a cartridge no longer works. These cartridges only work of a limited time before becoming exhausted. Therefore, they cannot be relied upon for long, and must be changed. At my company, these cartridges are changed with each use (usually daily). That also becomes very expensive.

So what to do? Well, again let me state that the concept of time/distance/shielding is important. Pick a time when fewer cars are on the road. Keep a distance away from them if possible. Keep material (walls, trees, etc.) between you and the cars. Keep on the upwind side (not really too possible, but if there is a choice...).

I hope this helps.

John

I just have to chime in and say the obvious--something is very, very wrong when we have to wear masks to breathe decent air.

Move to the country and learn to farm.

Anthony,

We have to do more than move to the country; we have to improve the air quality by getting more people to bicycle! We have made some improvements over the years. By removing lead from gasoline, we don't poison inner city kids anymore with that heavy metal. Lead can reduce IQ in small quantities in children, even if it is not observed to be doing other damage. The fact that we now burn unleaded gasoline shows that improvements can be made.

But, on a more serious note, respirators are a viable alternative for some problems. I thought a bit about that at an intersection on my way to work, that if more people wore air purifying HEPA filtered respirators, it may send a message to those people in the "metal boxes" about what they are directly doing to the environment (and we too--I also drive on occasion). We have a lot of people who do not believe in the concepts behind "global warming," and that burning fossil fuels causes a rise in CO2 (and CO--see above) is contributing to that.

John

John, Ratcliff, Thanks for your reply, I think I've been feeling a little under the weather last week or so - so it makes my tolerance lower - but I definately get these effects from my half an hour and then return journey across the city trips. Thanks for your info, I am going to start finding out about masks today, and will talk to doctor!

Since the North mask and filters costs about $20, which is less than the cost of a pair of panniers, I suggest getting one and trying it. Only you know how sensitive you are and other peoples traffic conditions may not be the same as yours. When I was in England last year I certainly noticed the diesel smell, and not just in London.

I just have to chime in and say the obvious--something is very, very wrong when we have to wear masks to breathe decent air.

Move to the country and learn to farm.

What do ya mean! I was thinking of getting one for when I commute past the Turkey barns! :lol:

Seriously, I don't know how those turkeys survive in there... It is hard to catch your breath if the wind is in the wrong direction!

I am getting a bit more sensitive to the respiratory hazards of cycling. Today, on my commute to work, I have one section of road that is fairly busy right after my bike path. I was about no get onto it, when a dump truck came by. I waited to enter the highway, and then noticed the plumb of diesel exhaust he had streamed along my route on the road, just as I was climbing a hill. Through heavy breaths, I cursed a bit that the dump truck had decided to come by just before I climbed that hill. Tomorrow, I will probably wear the respirator again.

John

I;ve said it before and I'll say it again: you're better off spending the money on joining your local clean air campaign.

John Ratcliff - how would an electrostatic filter do for removing diesel particulates. An elecrostatic generator could be made with a leather ring attached to the spokes. This should give less resistance to breathing.

Andrew,

Unfortunately, the concept of on electrostatic filter on the spokes would not do well unless your nose was within about an inch of the wheel, and the wind was blowing through the wheel. Even then, it probably would miss a huge amount of particles in the air. Where I work, we have clean room environments, and teach employees about how many particles are allowed in those rooms. We have Class 10, Class 100, Class 1000 and Class 10,000 clean rooms. This means that 10, 100, 1000 and 10,000 particles are allowed in those areas, respectively, per cubic foot of air. These are particles over 0.5 microns in diameter. So guess what is in "normal" outside air? Approximately 50,000 particles per cubic foot of air. Now, add pollution from a diesel engine, and the number becomes truely huge.

John

I was thinking of an face mask with wire grids connected to electrostatic generator on the wheel. How effective would this be for removing particulates, which are the most harmful part of diesel exhaust. I have seen electro static filters in household systems for people with pollen/dust allergies - these worked well.

I was thinking of an face mask with wire grids connected to electrostatic generator on the wheel. OK, I have this image of someone wearing a bug zapper around their face, sparks flying and that great ZAP!

Andrew,

The short answer is that I simply do not know about this concept. I understand that electrostatic filters work under some circumstances, but I am a bit suspicious unless there is a lot of cleaning to do. I have some in my home, and I see nothing on them (but they are behind some of the regular filters, and so may not be seeing much). I tried a Google quiry, but my first one got something like 87,000 "hits." So in short, this question is out of my area of expertise.

John

Due to the current air quality in the Twin Cities (http://aqi.pca.state.mn.us/hourly/region1.cfm?region=Twin%20Cities) here I'm resurrecting a not-long-dead thread.



Diesel exhaust particles are very small; they don't settle out. Instead, they stay with the air flow, and penetrate very deep into the lungs, actually into the alveoli themselves (air sacs). They are less than a micron in diameter (0.5 microns = 1.96850394 x 10-05 inches = 0.00002 inches). This means they are deposited deep in the lungs, and a significant number end up in the air sacs themselves. They cannot settle because the motion of the molecules in the air keeps them suspended (Brownian motion). But they go to the places the molecules go. They deposite deep in the lung, and can diffuse into the cells in the air sacs. Breathing through the nose does not significantly affect this deposition. Here's a PubMed Reference Article (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2478161&dopt=Abstract)

Re-reading this reminds me of something from my aquarium-keeping days. I had a nasty bout with suspended algae and what finally got rid of it was something that made the algae stick together so that it became large enough to be taken out by the filter. Seems like there could be some lung maintenance product that does the same thing with small particulates in the lungs - react with them in some way so they become large enough to be trapped in the mucous and removed by the cilia. Is there such a thing?

Nathan

Seems like there could be some lung maintenance product that does the same thing with small particulates in the lungs - react with them in some way so they become large enough to be trapped in the mucous and removed by the cilia. Is there such a thing?

Nathan

Nathan,

Well, in order to do something like that, you would have to place something almost as small into the lungs of a living person. The problem is not the chemistry of trapping the particles--that could be easily accomplished. The problem is doing so while doing no further harm to a person. This is a BIG problem, and actually it would be unethical to even test it. So no, it does not exist is most likely will not exist. To put it another way, when you worked on your aquarium, you probably took the fish out for a time. Otherwise, the fish could have been in jeopardy.

Given that, our best protection is an engineering control--get badly tuned diesels off the road. But this won't happen either because of economics. We could try to put some sort of filter on the engine, but again that has economic costs and efficiency costs which probably make it prohibitive.

Here are the possible controls:

--One engineering control is already there--use side streets and bike paths that are away from diesel engines.

--An administrative control of keeping distance and limiting time of exposure is also very practical. We can ride when the traffic is light. We can stay away from heavy traffic.

--Or, we can use what in the safety profession is known as PPE (personal protective equipment); in this case, a respirator as we discussed above.

I hope this helps.

John

I commute 20 miles a day in Los Angeles area. The air here is pretty horrible.

What mostly bothers me is DUST! It rains very rarely here and dust accumulates on all surfaces. There are also these nasty dust blowers that like to blow on the curb right where I bike.

Anyway, today I tried to use this exact type of respirator and unfortunately several problems got revealed:

- the warm air that comes out of it from the top, foggs the sunglasses. :d (it was early in the morning, so I will see if it happens during the day, but it was a big inconvenience that forced me to take the glasses off);

- it DOES restrict breathing. When going fast or uphill, breathing deep through the mouth, I felt restriction.

- it feels bad! This mask is not going to stay fresh or dry for long! Sweat and moist make it pretty nasty to wear! You also smell it all the time since it covers the nose.

So, unfortunately this mask is not a real solution to pollution problem while commuting. At least for me.

http://www.goldenspirit.com/Labyrinthwalk/redlands/dustpatrol.jpg

http://www.safmed.com/store/product58.html

From my experience with woodworking, I need a mask with a ventilation valve to avoid problems with restictive breathing at any heightened level of activity. Should solve the problems you encountered with catching your breath and with the hot air fogging your glasses.

http://www.ontimesupplies.com/N100_Particulate_Respirator__item_MMM8233.html

I would expect it does help with dust provided it fits.

John, can you point us to the 'N-100 HEPA filter' that you use? Thanks.

Hi i bought a RESPRO Mask and on the Website the techno mask says conforms to EU standard then when i got the mask it doesn't say that.

And the most worrying thing is, is that it says the mask is just to stop nuisence odours. There's no evidence that it protects from any pollution or chemicals.

Should i take it back :o

Hi i bought a RESPRO Mask and on the Website the techno mask says conforms to EU standard then when i got the mask it doesn't say that.

And the most worrying thing is, is that it says the mask is just to stop nuisence odours. There's no evidence that it protects from any pollution or chemicals.

Should i take it back :o
Yes, try at least. That is deceptive. Get a mask that has a NIOSH TC number (Technical Certification). If you want to remove particles, get a half-face mask with a HEPA filter. If you want more out of the air, get a combination with a HEPA filter stacked on an Organic Vapors filter. For more, see below.

John

John, can you point us to the 'N-100 HEPA filter' that you use? Thanks.
One of you PMed me about this, and so I'll write here my response to him:

There are a couple of things you need to understand. These ultrafine particles that come out of a diesel engine won't be completely filtered by any mask. HEPA filters are pretty good for any particle over a micron in diameter. But when you get to particles under half a micron, it is difficult to filter them out. Diesel exhaust has a lot of components. See this article:

http://www.cdc.gov/elcosh/docs/d060...09/d000609.html

Filtering most of these out is better much better for you than simply breathing them in. The mask I use is a North half-face respirator, #7700-30L (for Large). I use it with the cartridge for HEPA filtration, #DOP12H4. They also make a much larger cartridge which is a combination of an Organic Vapor and HEPA filter, and it costs about $8 for a set of two cartridges (I used them with a full-face respirator when I was pouring solvent chemicals from our process lab into a large drum for hazardous waste disposal. Here's North's website for this mask:

http://www.northsafety.com/usa/en/bs_product.html?GID=3788

Here is the filter which will get just about anything that a diesel exhaust engine can send your way (except the ultra-fine particles):

http://www.northsafety.com/usa/en/bs_product.html?GID=3766

But I am using this cartridge, as I am mainly interested in the HEPA filtration of particles:

http://www.northsafety.com/usa/en/bs_product.html?GID=3763

You can get these at Safety Supply stores (see your local listings), or look on-line at:

http://www.labsafety.com/search/default.htm?N=4294966963+4294966918&Nu=dept%5Fid

How do drivers react? Well, I used them for awhile last year, without much reaction that I saw at all.

How do I react? They were warmer, and my glasses did not fog up much when using them.

Why aren't I using it now? Well, we've had 38 or so days with only one or two without measureable rain, so the pollution levels are low here. I do hold my breath when a bus comes by, and if I see diesel exhaust ahead of me, I have at times stopped and waited for it to dissipate before entering the area where it was. So far, that strategy seems to be holding up pretty well.

Next spring and summer, if the pollution levels go up, I'll again be wearing the mask.

John

PS--for some reason the links didn't work, and I have now tried replacing them (they could not be copied). Here is the home site if this doesn't work:

http://www.northsafety.com/bs_splash.html?PAGEID=10836

Hello,

regarding a "best" mask for my running outside (I bike too but run more)

MOLDEX® R95 Particulate Respirators with Handystrap™
http://www.labsafety.com/search/54790/12736/54790/?isredirect=true
I am going to order and try these

This was a good thread to bump up. I was not aware of it before and this topic has been discussed in other threads. As someone who works in the chemical industry I can second that respirator/mask issue is not necessarily simple. This thread does a good job of explaining that.

- it DOES restrict breathing. When going fast or uphill, breathing deep through the mouth, I felt restriction.

- it feels bad! This mask is not going to stay fresh or dry for long! Sweat and moist make it pretty nasty to wear! You also smell it all the time since it covers the nose.

So, unfortunately this mask is not a real solution to pollution problem while commuting. At least for me.


yeah, that's why i got rid of the one i had. i felt like i was going to pass out from all the effort it took trying to suck in enough oxygen. sometimes if i get stuck behind a particularly bad vehicle i'll pull over and let them go ahead. or make lots of coughing/disgusted noises and hold my nose, just in case anyone is paying attention.

This is an interesting read for those who feel relieved when a gasser is near vs an oil burner

http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:26uhOsCsgKMJ:www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/827459-4bJPky/native/827459.pdf+gasoline+particulates&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us

Check out this mask from Respro. I started searching for a respirator after I read that article about diesel fumes causing heart problems. This product seems to be ideal for city commuting...on paper anyway. I've ordered one and will test it out for myself.

The Respro Sportsta mask combines HEPA-type filtration performance associated with sub-micron pollutants such as pollen and other irritant dusts, with a lightweight Neotex aerated mask. The Respro mask offers maximum ventilation without sacrificing filtration and to maximize rider performance, state of the art Powa valves are a standard feature and a must for all who ride to their limits.
The Respro mask conforms to European Standard EN149FFP1(S) for solid aerosol particles and is usable in all outdoor sports pursuits requiring respiratory protection.

Usable for sports activities, pollution avoidance, and as a cold weather mask
Filters out sub-micron particulates, including:
pollen dust
irritant dusts
clay dust
black smoke
exhaust emissions
diesel particulates
Rapid airflow valve system offers low breathing resistance
Velcro fastening fits without fuss and is fully adjustable
Made from neoprene - durable and washable
Replaceable filter lasts approximately 150 hours

http://www.allergybegone.com/confacmaslar.html

Just so you'll know, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health maintains a "Certified Equipment List" for respiratory protection. You can check it here:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/CEL/default.html

http://www2a.cdc.gov/drds/cel/cel_form_code.asp

If a respirator is not certified by NIOSH, you cannot assume that you'll be fully protected against toxic substances. There is a list of manufacturers on this site, and Moldex is one of them (it is on the Certified Equipment List).

I could not find the Respro Sportsta respirator on that list. I note that it is advertised as meeting the European Standard EN149FFP1(S) for solid aerosol particles. When I try to search the standard, all I get is advertisements. So I went to the EN Standards Index:

http://en-standards.standardsdirect.org/

I could not see that one listed. So I went to EN148 to take a look. I got into an index which should have the EN149 standards listed, and do not find this one:

http://en-standards.standardsdirect.org/EN-Sheet124_list_34.html

This doesn't mean it's not there, only that I cannot find it. I would therefore be rather cautious about this respirator.

Since I posted the above about diesel not being filtered by N95 respirators, I attended the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce) is Philadelphia this spring. I attended a Roundtable discussion by leading experts in nanoparticles, and diesel exhaust did come up. Apparently, there are now some studies which show that nanoparticles are filtered out by the N-99 particle respirators. Here is the home page for NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Nanotechnology:

http://www2a.cdc.gov/niosh-nil/index.asp

NIOSH has yet to really address the issue of personal protective equipment (PPE, or respirators) for nanoparticles. But I asked this question directly of one of the NIOSH speakers, who happened to be a bicyclist, "Should we be wearing a respirator when bicycling in traffic?" He answered that he did not, and was relying upon the clearing mechanism of his lungs to get rid of the particles.

But this was before the recent The New England Journal of Medicine article by N.L. Mills and Others titled "Ischemic and Thrombotic Effects of Dilute Diesel-Exhaust Inhalation in Men with Coronary Heart Disease." There is an editorial along with that, titled "Air Pollution, Exercise, and Cardiovascular Risk," by M.A. Mittleman. Here are a few sentences from that editorial:

There is mounting evidence that exposure to higher levels of air pollution is associated with adverse cardiovascular consequences. A recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association concluded that transient changes in air pollution are associated with a short-term increased risk of cardioascular disoeas and death. There is also convincing evidence for an association between air pollution and myocardial ischemia and infarction, ventricular arrhythmia heart failure exacerbation, ventricular arrhythmia, heart failure exacerbation and stroke...

In this issue of the Journal, Mills and colleagues report the results of a double-blind, randomized, crossover study of 20 men with a history of myocardial infarctino exposed to either dilute diesel exhaust -- at a level similar to what might be routinely experienced when driving in traffic -- or filtered air. During each exposure period, subjects exercised on a bicycle ergometer to a target of 5 to 7 metabolic equivalents for two 15-minute periods separated by 15-minute rest periods. The researches found that although the heart-rate response to exercise was not different across exposure periods, myocardial ischemia, which was detected in all patients, was associated with significantly greater ST-segment depression and a greater ischemic burden during exposure to diesel exhaust than during exposure to filtered air...

...The evidence from Mills and colleagues suggests that the risk of having an acute cardiovascular event triggered by vigorous exertion may be heightened with exposure to high levels of air pollution. Considering the unequivocal benefit of habitual exercise, including its established role in decreasing the risk that isolated episodes of exertion may trigger the onset of an acute cardiovascular event, the risk-benefit ratio may be optimized if people exercise away from traffic when possible. N ENGL J MED 357;11, www.NEJM.org, September 13, 2007, pgs 1147-1148

To me, it means that I have dusted off my respirator, and it is now on my bike. My bike route to and from work normally carries me on bike paths, back roads, and perpendicular to major traffic, thereby decreasing the potential for diesel exposure. But yesterday, when a dump truck passed and laid down a virtual curtain of diesel exhaust, the respirator came out and for the last 3/4 of a mile, I wore it.

I'm using a North 7700-30L half-face respirator (large) with HEPA filters (DOP12H4, colored purple). This type of respirator has an advantage over the ones above, in that the half-face respirator can be washed after each use, if needed. The cartridges can also be replaced if they become clogged (they are more efficient with time for particles). This does not filter vapors or gases, so CO and benzene will go right through. But the diesel particles will be filtered. I am not advocating North's respirators, as Wilson, 3M, and others make equally effective respirators. I am advocating this type of respirator. Here is what it looks like:

http://www.labsafety.com/store/Safety_Supplies/Respirators/Air-Purifying_Respirators/39329/?noredirect=true
(See the EZ-Facts sheets on the side of this page; the HEPA filter is the 41590 P100 Filter shown in the link "View respirator cartridge, filter and accessory charts.)

By the way, LabSafety is a good source for this kind of equipment. There are also local safety supply houses which can give good advise and have good equipment. I also use Sanderson Safety and Supply in Portland, Oregon if your are around here:

http://www.sandersonsafety.com/

In the Seattle are, there is Safety & Supply Co.:

http://www.safetyandsupply.com/home.asp

There are many, many more throughout the world, but go to a reputable safety supply house, and make sure of the certification of the respirator you pick up.

John

Good discussion.

Someone mention SCBA earlier.

I'm retired from the fire department, and so have a lot of experience with SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus). These are the units that are somewhat similar to the scuba gear that divers wear. Basically there are two types found in general use - demand units (no longer sold), and pressure-demand units.

In both cases the firefighter wears a full-face mask which is connected to a tank of compressed air worn on his back. There are 30-minute tanks and there are 60-minute tanks, as determined by the pressure that the tank can be charged to,, and the capacity of the tank.

The old-stype demand masks have a very simple pressure regulator that, when one inhaled (and thereby created a negative pressure in the mask) caused the regulator to open and allow fresh air to flow from the bottle into the mask. There was also an exhalation valve that, when one exhaled (and thereby created a positive pressure inside the mask) opened the exhalation valve to allow ones exhaled air to be exhausted into the general atmosphere.

The newer style are pressure-demand masks, with the principle difference being that a slight positiove pressure is maintained inside the facemask. Presuming that the firefighter is operating in what is known as an IDLH environment (Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health) charged with toxic gasses, the slight positive pressue inside the mask meant that, if there were any leaks in the facepiece or a less-than-perfect seal between the firefighter's face and the facemask, the slight pressure inside the mask would prevent contamination of the atmosphere inside the mask. The old demand mask, requiring one to pull a negative pressure inside the mask, would tend to pull the outside toxic environment inside the mask to be inhaled.

Now, having said all that, I will tell you that it is not easy to breathe in one of these things while doing any sort of strenuous work. The newer pressure-demand units are a little better in that you don't have to "suck" inside the mask to inhale, but in both types you have to push your exhalations out. And those 30-minute and 60-minute ratings.....don't know where they came up with those. Maybe if you wore the thing sitting in an easy chair, I guess, but doing any kind of work? No way. I personally sucked two 30-minute bottles down in 15 minutes flat at a fire once.

Also, these things are very heavy. A pressure tank that can hold 2200 PSI (30-minute) or 4500 PSI (60-minute) has to be made strong, even if it is carbon fiber, or spun aluminum. Heck, when Ii started on the job the bottles were steel! And one still has the backpack harness, regulator, hoses, etc. to lug around.

Another expense with these things that make them impractical for the average joe is where to get them filled - you just can't hook 'em up to the air hose at the filling station. It's gotta be a compressor system rated for breathing air. A scuba shop would probably be able to do it, though.

But then there's hydrostatic testing of the tank, though.

And this is a system that provides clean air under pressure from a tank.

I can't imagine having to pull air through a filtration system with lung power alone.

And are the filters really effective? (I guess even if they're only partially effective they're better than nothing, though.)

Maybe some sort of mechanical ventilation system that forces air through a filter? But then how does one power the system?

Look at the pictures of the Chinese riding around on their cruisers, though, wearing those paper surgical masks.

I made a post (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=303324) a while back about my Respro. You can see it in my picture. I'm very happy with mine, but I have stopped using it during the summer as it was just too hot and a little difficult to drink with. As the weather is cooling off though, I'll be wearing it again every day. Check out my filter pictures (http://flickr.com/photos/bluesocks/610207212/). That's a lot of funk.

Good discussion.

Someone mention SCBA earlier.

I'm retired from the fire department, and so have a lot of experience with SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus). These are the units that are somewhat similar to the scuba gear that divers wear. Basically there are two types found in general use - demand units (no longer sold), and pressure-demand units...

Look at the pictures of the Chinese riding around on their cruisers, though, wearing those paper surgical masks.
tpelle,

SCBAs are for environments "Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health," also known as IDLH. They really are not appropriate for bicycle use, as you probably know.

Concerning surgical masks, they are actually not respiratory protection. Their function is to keep surgeons and other medical personnel from contaminating a surgical site (keeping contamination in, rather than pollution out). They may make some feel good about wearing them for pollution, but because they don't make a seal around the face, they really do not work well for things like diesel exhaust nanoparticles.

John