We previously discussed how HEPA filters remove asbestos from the air extremely well. But asbestos causes cancer, so I wouldn’t rely on just a purifier while in the room. I’d want to wear a mask.
How Big Are Asbestos Particles?
Asbestos particles range from 0.7 to 90 microns. To put this size in perspective, below is the size of a 2.5-micron particle relative to a human hair.
Yes, asbestos particles are super tiny! But do masks actually capture particles that small?
Is Asbestos Mask Effective At Filtering Asbestos?
This study from the University of Massachusetts tested what percentage of particles of different sizes masks can capture. Here’s what they found:
The closest size to 0.7 microns here is 500 nm and 1 um. (More mask test data down to .007 microns here.)
Does N95 Protect Against Asbestos?
The standard N95 mask on the left captured over 90% of both of these particle sizes. Thus, a good mask should protect you from a high percentage of asbestos particles (although I’d use an N99, which captures a higher percentage of particles).
Since asbestos is so dangerous, I’d suggest pairing a mask with a HEPA filter, which captures over 99% of asbestos particles on one pass of the filter. I started Smart Air as a not-for-profit social enterprise to provide affordable HEPA filter purifiers at an honest price.
Check them out here.
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Interesting article. There is an aspect that I would like to understand better, but I have not found any information about it: while face masks are specified for (theoretically) spherical particles, asbestos is made of fibers. Many studies indicate that the danger of asbestos increases as the L/D ratio increases, where L is the length of the fiber and D is the diameter. In other words the most dangerous fibers are thin and long. So, if we compare a sphere with a fiber of the same diameter (let’s say 0.3 um) but the fiber is 8 um long, my guess… Read more »