Warning that masks contain substances that cause lung damage?

Recently, social networks spread the news that some countries stopped using Chinese masks under the SNN200642 brand name.

Several types of masks are floating, of unknown origin in the market. The reason is that it contains microscopic graphene particles. Inhalation of graphene can cause serious lung damage … How toxic is graphene? According to disseminated information, this mask is sold and distributed by the company Métallifer based in Quebec (Canada). However, during quality testing, the authorities discovered that this disposable mask contained microscopic graphene particles. Graphene is a very thin, durable material used in fabrication, but it can harm the lungs by inhalation and can cause long-term health problems. A team of biologists, engineers and material scientists at Brown University tested graphene’s potential toxicity on human cells. What they found was that the jagged edges of super-sharp and super-hard graphene nanoparticles could easily penetrate cell membranes in human lungs, skin and immune cells. These materials can be inhaled unintentionally or they can be injected or transplanted into the body as components of biomedical technology. Assoc.Prof. Dr. Pham Van Nho, University of Science of Science, Hanoi National University said that graphene or graphene is an atomic thick flat sheet of carbon atoms with sp2 bonds forming a crystal array. honeycomb shape. Its name is composed of “graphite” (graphite) and suffix “-en” (English is “-ene”). Graphene has the ability to fill its electron holes with other electrons almost instantly. Meaning it transferred a large amount of charge in a short amount of time. The graphene in the mask is only a few nanometers in size, a million times thinner than a human hair, easily sensing and preventing tiny particles containing virus molecules. Graphene is the first two-dimensional material found in nature, is 100 times stronger than steel, is paper thin, is more flexible than plastic, and has good resistance to a wide variety of gases and liquids. However, its safety is still controversial. Worry about raw materials to make imported masks Assoc.Prof.Dr Pham Van Nho said that the most dangerous on the market today is not the name of the warning mask mentioned above. The biggest concern is the imported raw materials to make the masks of the manufacturers that do not guarantee the quality. The raw materials for the production of pages of many enterprises are currently imported from the Chinese market. These ingredients are difficult to control origin as well as safety. That is not to mention that many establishments use poor quality chemical fiber fabrics. When used as a mask, it can form particles that cause respiratory toxicity. Or the simplest thing when it comes to exporting masks, the ingredients that are not clean enough are also very harmful to users, especially disposable masks. “Asbestos fibers harm the lungs because they are in the form of microscopic crystal fibers. It can enter the airways and then enter the lungs easily. Masks that use inexpensive ingredients do the same thing. This type of dust is usually very small in diameter, not visible to the naked eye, so there is only way to buy products from reputable brands, which are inspected by safety authorities ”, Assoc.Prof. Dr. Pham Van Nho said . According to Dr. Nguyen Van Thong, former Director of Textile Research Institute, in the current context, the quality of antibacterial fabric for export of pages needs to meet the requirements of conformity certification according to QCVN 01 / BCT: 2017 and bactericidal ability ≥ 90% tested according to AATCC 100: 2012 standard. Research and application of antimicrobial treatment technology for fabrics have been concerned by many units and individuals at different scales. That is the laboratory scale and the industrial scale. Treatment technology and antibacterial fabric production have been applied by many textile and garment enterprises in fabric production according to the requirements of domestic and international customers. With the current equipment conditions, many businesses have enough conditions to develop antibacterial fabrics. Only worrying is the source of imported raw materials with low prices, no quality control as well as the export process of the page. Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan, Director of the Department of Medical Equipment and Medical Works, Ministry of Health, said that Vietnamese enterprises have been proactively able to export masks to provide for the domestic market and also export to other different market. The possibility of importing masks from China is very low. But to ensure safety in the manufacture of masks, the Department of Medical Equipment and Works will coordinate with relevant agencies to check and inspect those exporting manufacturers using raw materials. Made from China. To buy quality masks, according to Assoc.Prof. Dr. Pham Van Nho, before buying, customers should choose a reputable and reputable manufacturer. Check the outside of the box: When the mask is in its original case, the user should see the information printed on the box. If the parameters are fully printed (name of manufacturer, distributor, barcode number, batch number, manufacturing date, especially the declaration number of the medical device standard), this is the mask. medical. The fabric for fake masks is often mixed with stone powder, so when touching, the mask’s surface will be rough, not soft. Real medical masks have a certain thickness. Proper mask, the inside has a filter. This filter is soft, smooth, thick. Along with the antibacterial filter cloth, this fabric has a different color and texture compared to the other filter layers.