Fiber-Based Masks and Respirators: Using Decontamination Methods and Antimicrobial Treatment to Improve Its Reusability during Pandemic
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript reported by Song et al entitled as “Fiber-based masks and respirators: using decontamination methods and antimicrobial treatment to improve its reusability during pandemic” attempts to show the current state of the art of fiber-based mask, its decontamination methods and reusability. The manuscript is well written with good descriptions regarding the testing standards and decontamination methods. However, it still requires some modifications before the final acceptance. Please see below for my specific comments about the manuscript.
1.There is no mention regarding the different process of fabrication of fiber-based masks. The different fabrication methods currently employed to manufacture fiber-based masks should be included in the manuscript.
2. Also, some of the important characteristics of the fiber-based mask materials such as Filtration potential and water resistance should be included in the manuscript and discussed about the importance of these properties for governing the overall efficiency of the final mask product. This will make the article more informative.
3. There are some typo errors present in the manuscript, like in the caption of Table 1, instead of decontamination authors are using the term “denomination”. The paper should be thoroughly proof reeded to eliminate such typo errors and spelling mistakes.
Author Response
Reviewer: The manuscript reported by Song et al entitled as “Fiber-based masks and respirators: using decontamination methods and antimicrobial treatment to improve its reusability during pandemic” attempts to show the current state of the art of fiber-based mask, its decontamination methods and reusability. The manuscript is well written with good descriptions regarding the testing standards and decontamination methods. However, it still requires some modifications before the final acceptance. Please see below for my specific comments about the manuscript.
1. There is no mention regarding the different process of fabrication of fiber-based masks. The different fabrication methods currently employed to manufacture fiber-based masks should be included in the manuscript.
Author’s response: Different fabrication methods of fiber-based masks (respirators and medical masks) were added in the manuscripts from Line 58 to Line 61 and Line 69 to Line 73.
Reviewer: 2. Also, some of the important characteristics of the fiber-based mask materials such as Filtration potential and water resistance should be included in the manuscript and discussed about the importance of these properties for governing the overall efficiency of the final mask product. This will make the article more informative.
Author’s response: This information was added in the manuscript from Line 122 to Line 126 and Line 129 to Line 132.
Reviewer: 3. There are some typo errors present in the manuscript, like in the caption of Table 1, instead of decontamination authors are using the term “denomination”. The paper should be thoroughly proof reeded to eliminate such typo errors and spelling mistakes.
Author’s response: We thank the referee for the careful read of the manuscript. The authors have proofread the manuscript thoroughly to correct all the typo errors.
Reviewer 2 Report
This research paper is good considering its contribution in the masks-oriented fiber studies. The authors have used decontamination methods and antimicrobial treatment for the reusability of the fibers/masks.
- There are no figures at all for this review. This is rare and actually hard to find in textile-based research. Thus, the authors will have to include some figures based on their literature studies.
- the reusing of masks will also depend on laws and regulations - can the author briefly summarize relevant information from NIH or China CDC regarding relevant rules?
- what about the ecotechnological reasons behind the mask recycling?and under what conditions the reusing of medical masks is not proper?
- the US mayo clinic has done some experiments regarding the mask recycling considering the material extraction and reuse in manufacturing. Similar research has also been conducted - can the author summarize the mechanical, chemical and physical methods to reuse the fibers in masks?
Author Response
This research paper is good considering its contribution in the masks-oriented fiber studies. The authors have used decontamination methods and antimicrobial treatment for the reusability of the fibers/masks.
Reviewer: 1. There are no figures at all for this review. This is rare and actually hard to find in textile-based research. Thus, the authors will have to include some figures based on their literature studies.
Author’s response: Two clusters of figures (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) were added following the corresponding literature studies.
Reviewer: 2. the reusing of masks will also depend on laws and regulations - can the author briefly summarize relevant information from NIH or China CDC regarding relevant rules?
Author’s response: Yes, the final reusing of the masks in practice highly depends on the local laws and regulations. The current measures from European and US CDCs were complemented in the manuscript from Line 81 to Line 85.
Reviewer: 3. what about the ecotechnological reasons behind the mask recycling? And under what conditions the reusing of medical masks is not proper?
Author’s response: The discussion from ecotechnological point of view behind the mask recycling were given in the manuscript from Line 205 to Line 212. The author also summaries four points that need to be emphasized regarding the reusing of medical masks from Line 259 to Line 269.
Reviewer: 4. the US mayo clinic has done some experiments regarding the mask recycling considering the material extraction and reuse in manufacturing. Similar research has also been
conducted - can the author summarize the mechanical, chemical and physical methods to reuse the fibers in masks?
Author’s response: This is not the direct focus of this manuscript as indicated by the research questions proposed in section 2. However, the reuse of the fibers in masks is a very important matter. Thus, this information was added from Line 278 to Line 285.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Authors have addressed my comments, so the manuscript can be accepted in the present format.
