In October 2013, an asbestos lab in Salt Lake City found out that the particle filter is made of 7.5% asbestos. Many scare stories have originated from various Russian gas masks and their filters that are now common in surplus stores the GP-5 was often considered to have an asbestos filter. This rate was between 2.5 and 3.2 times the normal incidence of lung or respiratory cancers. Breathing blue asbestos in the factories resulted in the death of 10% of the workforce due to pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. It is unknown how long for certain the material was used in filters. World War II gas masks contained blue asbestos in their filters. Very old unused gas mask filters from World War II may not be effective at all in protecting the user, and can even potentially cause harm to the user due to long-term changes in the filter chemical composition.Īn asbestos containing Russian GP-5 filter and a safe modern one in comparison. Most gas masks use sealing caps over the air intake to prevent the filter from degrading before use, but the protective abilities also degrade as the filter ages or if it is exposed to moisture and heat. Once the filter has been saturated with hazardous chemicals, it ceases to provide protection and the user may be injured. Gas masks have a limited useful lifespan that is related to the absorbent capacity of the filter. Greek Infantry with gas masks Safety of old gas masks While this method can be effective at trapping particulates produced by combustion, it does not filter out harmful gases which may be toxic or which displace the oxygen required for survival. This effect can be very simple and highly effective, for example using a damp cloth to cover the mouth and nose whilst escaping a fire. Examples of substrates include activated carbon, and zeolites. Although some form of reaction may take place, it is not necessary the method may work by attractive charges, for example, if the target particles are positively charged, use a negatively charged substrate. This can be used to remove both particulate and gaseous hazards. 5 History of absorbents and neutralizersĪbsorption is the process of being drawn into a (usually larger) body, or substrate, and adsorption is the process of deposition upon a surface.4 History and development of the gas mask.Some have one or two filters attached to the face piece others have a large filter connected to the face piece by a hose. Later, discovery of polycarbonate allowed gas masks with a big full-face window. The traditional gas mask style with two small circular eye windows originated when the only suitable material for these eye windows was glass or acrylic as glass is notoriously brittle, glass eye windows had to be kept small and thick. Aside from serving their functional purposes, gas masks are also used as emblems in industrial music, by graffiti taggers because the mask protects them from the graffiti canister's toxic fumes, and by urban explorers venturing into environments where hazardous materials, such as asbestos, may be present. Gas masks are used in construction to protect against welding fumes, in deconstruction to protect against asbestos or other hazardous particles, and in the chemical industry when handling hazardous materials, as in making repairs to leaking equipment or cleaning after spills workers are usually issued gas masks as a precaution against leaks.ĭuring riots where tear gas or CS-gas is employed by riot police, gas masks are commonly used by police and rioters alike. Many gas masks include protection from both types. The user of the gas mask is not protected from gas that the skin can absorb.Īirborne toxic materials may be gaseous (for example the chlorine gas used in World War I) or particulate (such as many biological agents developed for weapons such as bacteria, viruses and toxins). Some gas masks are also respirators, though the word gas mask is often used to refer to military equipment (e.g. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. The gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. For the mask used to inhale gas through, see Mask#Functional masks.
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