by Anya Pathak
5th grade at Greenville Elementary School (Scarsdale, NY)
Honorable mention
Dear Editor,
Face masks have been a “lifesaver” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a 2020 study, an estimated 194 million disposable masks are being used globally every month as a result of the pandemic. However, an increase in the use of masks, especially those made from plastic materials, has also led to a new environmental problem that will far exceed that of the virus. To address this challenge, a diverse group of engineers, material science researchers, and medical professionals are developing solutions for reusable and biodegradable masks.
For instance, engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology made a reusable face mask using silicone rubber that can stop viral particles as effectively as N95 masks. This mask can be sterilized and reused several times, and also has space for replaceable N95 filters. Similarly, engineers and researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley Livermore National Laboratory designed a reusable silicon N95 mask that uses a rechargeable, wire-mesh active filter and electrostatic charge to trap and destroy virus particles.
Engineers are also working on masks using biodegradable materials. A Vietnamese footwear company, called ShoeX, is making a coffee face mask with 99.99% dual antibacterial technology. The mask’s outer layer is composed of a coffee yarn, and the inner layer has a biodegradable filter created using coffee beans and silver nanotechnology. Similarly, a French company, named Géochanvre, made a fully bio- compostable mask using hemp. Here the engineers devised a process of generating hard-packed flat sheets of hemp ready to be cut into masks of different shapes and sizes. These single-use masks have very high rates of air filtration efficiency and permeability.
While these efforts are significant in developing the “next generation” of environment-friendly masks, the primary focus is on adult masks. In fact, a majority of the masks currently available and under development are being tested only on adults for fit and comfort - kids, such as my 3-year-old brother, are rarely included in the usability studies. Besides, children, especially those engaged in playing or just running around, end up accumulating saliva and mucus in the masks - yuck! Wouldn’t it be amazing to create a reusable, biodegradable mask made exclusively for kids?
My idea is to design such a mask that will leverage the advances in mask manufacturing, but address current limitations with simple yet effective, engineering principles. First, I will get rid of the ear loops in the masks, and instead develop an approach to mold the reusable silicone rubber in the form of eyeglasses’ arm that can be customized for every child. Not only this simple design factor change will make it easier to wear the masks, but also enhance fit and comfort. Second, I will engineer a color- changing sticker attached to the masks that will detect saliva and mucus accumulation. This sticker can be enhanced to even detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus as exemplified in recent work by Dr. Jesse Jokerst - a Professor of Nanoengineering at the University of California, San Diego. Finally, I will incorporate biodegradable filters made from relatively inexpensive materials, such as hemp, that are effective in air filtration.
I plan to work on this endeavor keeping in mind that designing a mask, much like any science and engineering project, should be inclusive. To this end, not only will I collaborate with engineers and researchers across multiple social and demographic backgrounds, but most importantly, partner with a diverse group of children across the world for mask design and development. If “all of us” get together, we can design and mass-produce a highly reusable, biodegradable, and affordable mask made by and for the kids.
With gratitude,
A frontliner