Methodology of assessing the quality of mask filter elements for protection of people, and their vital functions in case of fire

This abstract delves into an investigation concerning the toxicity of the gaseous environment encountered in the context of fires within public structures, encompassing shopping malls and entertainment centers. These fires engender the release of a host of highly toxic gases, prominently including phosgene, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide. It is noteworthy, however, that prevailing portable filtering self-rescue masks employed during the evacuation from fire-stricken areas do not offer protection against phosgene. This discrepancy is attributed, in part, to the absence of stipulated requirements for safeguarding against phosgene within the regulatory documentation governing mask specifications. In response to this, a comprehensive methodology has been devised for evaluating the protective attributes of filtering and absorbing components, concomitant with the establishment of a delineated roster of gases to serve as benchmarks for assessing reliability. The culmination of these research has resulted in the development of a novel fibrous material and a respiratory mask design, specially tailored to protect against the toxic gases encountered during fires within public structures. These innovations can improve the protective effectiveness of masks, making them better suited to protect people in such dangerous situations. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).