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This work presents a smart mask for real-time monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels asa reference tool for diagnosis, sports training and mental health status. A printed circuit board wasprojected and fabricated to gain data with real-time visualization and storage on a database, enablingremote monitoring as a needed skill for telemedicine purposes. The electronics were inserted in awearable device—shaped like a mask—and 3D-printed with biocompatible materials. The wholedevice was used for analyzing CO2 on a breath volunteer in three kinds of measurement.

Questo lavoro si concentra sulla possibile applicazione di nanoparticelle d'oro su tessuti di cotone flessibili come substrati sensibili all'acetone e all'etanolo mediante misurazioni di impedenza. Nello specifico, nanoparticelle d'oro (NP Au) funzionalizzate con citrato e polivinilpirrolidone (PVP) sono state sintetizzate utilizzando procedure verdi e consolidate e depositate su tessuto di cotone. Una caratterizzazione strutturale e morfologica completa è stata condotta utilizzando la spettroscopia UV-VIS e infrarossa a trasformata di Fourier (FT-IR), la microscopia a forza atomica (AFM) e la microscopia elettronica a scansione (SEM). Una caratterizzazione dielettrica dettagliata del substrato vuoto ha rivelato effetti di polarizzazione interfacciale legati sia alle NP Au che alla loro specifica funzionalizzazione superficiale. Ad esempio, rivestendo interamente il tessuto di cotone (ovvero creando una matrice più isolante), è stato riscontrato che il PVP aumenta la resistenza del campione, ovvero diminuisce l'interconnessione elettrica delle NP Au rispetto al campione funzionalizzato con citrato. Tuttavia, è stato osservato che la funzionalizzazione del citrato ha fornito una distribuzione uniforme delle NP Au, che ha ridotto la loro spaziatura e, quindi, facilitato il trasporto degli elettroni. Per quanto riguarda il rilevamento dei composti organici volatili (COV), le misurazioni della spettroscopia di impedenza elettrochimica (EIS) hanno mostrato che il legame idrogeno e la risultante impedenza di migrazione protonica sono fondamentali per distinguere l'etanolo dall'acetone., This work focuses on the possible application of gold nanoparticles on flexible cotton fabric as acetone- and ethanol-sensitive substrates by means of impedance measurements. Specifically, citrate- and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were synthesized using green and well-established procedures and deposited on cotton fabric. A complete structural and morphological characterization was conducted using UV-VIS and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A detailed dielectric characterization of the blank substrate revealed interfacial polarization effects related to both Au NPs and their specific surface functionalization. For instance, by entirely coating the cotton fabric (i.e., by creating a more insulating matrix), PVP was found to increase the sample resistance, i.e., to decrease the electrical interconnection of Au NPs with respect to citrate functionalized sample. However, it was observed that citrate functionalization provided a uniform distribution of Au NPs, which reduced their spacing and, therefore, facilitated electron transport. Regarding the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed that hydrogen bonding and the resulting proton migration impedance are instrumental in distinguishing ethanol and acetone. Such findings can pave the way for the development of VOC sensors integrated into personal protective equipment and wearable telemedicine devices. This approach may be crucial for early disease diagnosis based on nanomaterials to attain low-cost/low-end and easy-to-use detectors of breath volatiles as disease markers., Funding: The authors thanks T. De Caro, A. Brotzu, L. Zortea, and L. Cerri for their technical support in Raman, SEM, and AFM measurements.

Questo lavoro si concentra sulla possibile applicazione di nanoparticelle d'oro su tessuti di cotone flessibili come substrati sensibili all'acetone e all'etanolo mediante misurazioni di impedenza. Nello specifico, nanoparticelle d'oro (NP Au) funzionalizzate con citrato e polivinilpirrolidone (PVP) sono state sintetizzate utilizzando procedure verdi e consolidate e depositate su tessuto di cotone. Una caratterizzazione strutturale e morfologica completa è stata condotta utilizzando la spettroscopia UV-VIS e infrarossa a trasformata di Fourier (FT-IR), la microscopia a forza atomica (AFM) e la microscopia elettronica a scansione (SEM). Una caratterizzazione dielettrica dettagliata del substrato vuoto ha rivelato effetti di polarizzazione interfacciale legati sia alle NP Au che alla loro specifica funzionalizzazione superficiale. Ad esempio, rivestendo interamente il tessuto di cotone (ovvero creando una matrice più isolante), è stato riscontrato che il PVP aumenta la resistenza del campione, ovvero diminuisce l'interconnessione elettrica delle NP Au rispetto al campione funzionalizzato con citrato. Tuttavia, è stato osservato che la funzionalizzazione del citrato ha fornito una distribuzione uniforme delle NP Au, che ha ridotto la loro spaziatura e, quindi, facilitato il trasporto degli elettroni. Per quanto riguarda il rilevamento dei composti organici volatili (COV), le misurazioni della spettroscopia di impedenza elettrochimica (EIS) hanno mostrato che il legame idrogeno e la risultante impedenza di migrazione protonica sono fondamentali per distinguere l'etanolo dall'acetone., This work focuses on the possible application of gold nanoparticles on flexible cotton fabric as acetone- and ethanol-sensitive substrates by means of impedance measurements. Specifically, citrate- and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were synthesized using green and well-established procedures and deposited on cotton fabric. A complete structural and morphological characterization was conducted using UV-VIS and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A detailed dielectric characterization of the blank substrate revealed interfacial polarization effects related to both Au NPs and their specific surface functionalization. For instance, by entirely coating the cotton fabric (i.e., by creating a more insulating matrix), PVP was found to increase the sample resistance, i.e., to decrease the electrical interconnection of Au NPs with respect to citrate functionalized sample. However, it was observed that citrate functionalization provided a uniform distribution of Au NPs, which reduced their spacing and, therefore, facilitated electron transport. Regarding the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed that hydrogen bonding and the resulting proton migration impedance are instrumental in distinguishing ethanol and acetone. Such findings can pave the way for the development of VOC sensors integrated into personal protective equipment and wearable telemedicine devices. This approach may be crucial for early disease diagnosis based on nanomaterials to attain low-cost/low-end and easy-to-use detectors of breath volatiles as disease markers., Funding: The authors thanks T. De Caro, A. Brotzu, L. Zortea, and L. Cerri for their technical support in Raman, SEM, and AFM measurements.

Questo lavoro si concentra sulla possibile applicazione di nanoparticelle d'oro su tessuti di cotone flessibili come substrati sensibili all'acetone e all'etanolo mediante misurazioni di impedenza. Nello specifico, nanoparticelle d'oro (NP Au) funzionalizzate con citrato e polivinilpirrolidone (PVP) sono state sintetizzate utilizzando procedure verdi e consolidate e depositate su tessuto di cotone. Una caratterizzazione strutturale e morfologica completa è stata condotta utilizzando la spettroscopia UV-VIS e infrarossa a trasformata di Fourier (FT-IR), la microscopia a forza atomica (AFM) e la microscopia elettronica a scansione (SEM). Una caratterizzazione dielettrica dettagliata del substrato vuoto ha rivelato effetti di polarizzazione interfacciale legati sia alle NP Au che alla loro specifica funzionalizzazione superficiale. Ad esempio, rivestendo interamente il tessuto di cotone (ovvero creando una matrice più isolante), è stato riscontrato che il PVP aumenta la resistenza del campione, ovvero diminuisce l'interconnessione elettrica delle NP Au rispetto al campione funzionalizzato con citrato. Tuttavia, è stato osservato che la funzionalizzazione del citrato ha fornito una distribuzione uniforme delle NP Au, che ha ridotto la loro spaziatura e, quindi, facilitato il trasporto degli elettroni. Per quanto riguarda il rilevamento dei composti organici volatili (COV), le misurazioni della spettroscopia di impedenza elettrochimica (EIS) hanno mostrato che il legame idrogeno e la risultante impedenza di migrazione protonica sono fondamentali per distinguere l'etanolo dall'acetone., This work focuses on the possible application of gold nanoparticles on flexible cotton fabric as acetone- and ethanol-sensitive substrates by means of impedance measurements. Specifically, citrate- and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were synthesized using green and well-established procedures and deposited on cotton fabric. A complete structural and morphological characterization was conducted using UV-VIS and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A detailed dielectric characterization of the blank substrate revealed interfacial polarization effects related to both Au NPs and their specific surface functionalization. For instance, by entirely coating the cotton fabric (i.e., by creating a more insulating matrix), PVP was found to increase the sample resistance, i.e., to decrease the electrical interconnection of Au NPs with respect to citrate functionalized sample. However, it was observed that citrate functionalization provided a uniform distribution of Au NPs, which reduced their spacing and, therefore, facilitated electron transport. Regarding the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed that hydrogen bonding and the resulting proton migration impedance are instrumental in distinguishing ethanol and acetone. Such findings can pave the way for the development of VOC sensors integrated into personal protective equipment and wearable telemedicine devices. This approach may be crucial for early disease diagnosis based on nanomaterials to attain low-cost/low-end and easy-to-use detectors of breath volatiles as disease markers., Funding: The authors thanks T. De Caro, A. Brotzu, L. Zortea, and L. Cerri for their technical support in Raman, SEM, and AFM measurements.

Questo lavoro si concentra sulla possibile applicazione di nanoparticelle d'oro su tessuti di cotone flessibili come substrati sensibili all'acetone e all'etanolo mediante misurazioni di impedenza. Nello specifico, nanoparticelle d'oro (NP Au) funzionalizzate con citrato e polivinilpirrolidone (PVP) sono state sintetizzate utilizzando procedure verdi e consolidate e depositate su tessuto di cotone. Una caratterizzazione strutturale e morfologica completa è stata condotta utilizzando la spettroscopia UV-VIS e infrarossa a trasformata di Fourier (FT-IR), la microscopia a forza atomica (AFM) e la microscopia elettronica a scansione (SEM). Una caratterizzazione dielettrica dettagliata del substrato vuoto ha rivelato effetti di polarizzazione interfacciale legati sia alle NP Au che alla loro specifica funzionalizzazione superficiale. Ad esempio, rivestendo interamente il tessuto di cotone (ovvero creando una matrice più isolante), è stato riscontrato che il PVP aumenta la resistenza del campione, ovvero diminuisce l'interconnessione elettrica delle NP Au rispetto al campione funzionalizzato con citrato. Tuttavia, è stato osservato che la funzionalizzazione del citrato ha fornito una distribuzione uniforme delle NP Au, che ha ridotto la loro spaziatura e, quindi, facilitato il trasporto degli elettroni. Per quanto riguarda il rilevamento dei composti organici volatili (COV), le misurazioni della spettroscopia di impedenza elettrochimica (EIS) hanno mostrato che il legame idrogeno e la risultante impedenza di migrazione protonica sono fondamentali per distinguere l'etanolo dall'acetone., This work focuses on the possible application of gold nanoparticles on flexible cotton fabric as acetone- and ethanol-sensitive substrates by means of impedance measurements. Specifically, citrate- and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were synthesized using green and well-established procedures and deposited on cotton fabric. A complete structural and morphological characterization was conducted using UV-VIS and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A detailed dielectric characterization of the blank substrate revealed interfacial polarization effects related to both Au NPs and their specific surface functionalization. For instance, by entirely coating the cotton fabric (i.e., by creating a more insulating matrix), PVP was found to increase the sample resistance, i.e., to decrease the electrical interconnection of Au NPs with respect to citrate functionalized sample. However, it was observed that citrate functionalization provided a uniform distribution of Au NPs, which reduced their spacing and, therefore, facilitated electron transport. Regarding the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed that hydrogen bonding and the resulting proton migration impedance are instrumental in distinguishing ethanol and acetone. Such findings can pave the way for the development of VOC sensors integrated into personal protective equipment and wearable telemedicine devices. This approach may be crucial for early disease diagnosis based on nanomaterials to attain low-cost/low-end and easy-to-use detectors of breath volatiles as disease markers., Funding: The authors thanks T. De Caro, A. Brotzu, L. Zortea, and L. Cerri for their technical support in Raman, SEM, and AFM measurements.

Human health has always been a major concern for science. Over the years, health research has included different areas, ranging from specific therapies to patients lifestyle and social information: "patient-oriented" approaches have increasingly emerged as a crucial tool for health care systems, as clearly shown during the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In this context, the synergy between different scientific and technological fields, such as biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering, is increasingly considered an essential requirement. This work presents a low cost and easy-to-use sensor of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath, with the purpose of serving as a rapid, non-invasive and versatile diagnostic tool in smart medicine applications. A "lockand-key" system relying on gold nanoparticles deposited on cotton fabric enables the detection of target molecules, whose adsorption produces variations in terms of electrical impedance. The system has been exposed to ethanol-based solutions in an experimental campaign to investigate the sensing capabilities at 1 Hz - 1 MHz frequency range. The results achieved demonstrate the feasibility in obtaining health-relevant VOCs detection based on impedance analysis., Funding Agencies|MUR through the Sapienza University [RG12117A84C979D3]

The outbreak of the recent Covid-19 pandemic changed many aspects of our daily life, such as the constant wearing of face masks as protection from virus transmission risks. Furthermore, it exposed the healthcare system’s fragilities, showing the urgent need to design a more inclusive model that takes into account possible future emergencies, together with population’s aging and new severe pathologies. In this framework, face masks can be both a physical barrier against viruses and, at the same time, a telemedical diagnostic tool. In this paper, we propose a low-cost, 3D-printed face mask able to protect the wearer from virus transmission, thanks to internal FFP2 filters, and to monitor the air quality (temperature, humidity, CO2) inside the mask. Acquired data are automatically transmitted to a web terminal, thanks to sensors and electronics embedded in the mask. Our preliminary results encourage more efforts in these regards, towards rapid, inexpensive and smart ways to integrate more sensors into the mask’s breathing zone in order to use the patient’s breath as a fingerprint for various diseases.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, declared in March 2020, has led to several behavioral changes in the general population, such as social distancing and mask usage among others. Furthermore, the sanitary emergency has stressed health system weaknesses in terms of disease prevention, diagnosis, and cure. Thus, smart technologies allowing for early and quick detection of diseases are called for. In this framework, the development of point-of-care devices can provide new solutions for sanitary emergencies management. This work focuses on the development of useful tools for early disease diagnosis based on nanomaterials on cotton substrates, to obtain a low-cost and easy-to-use detector of breath volatiles as disease markers. Specifically, we report encouraging experimental results concerning acetone detection through impedance measurements. Such findings can pave the way to the implementation of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) sensors into smart and user friendly diagnostic devices.

Questo lavoro si concentra sulla possibile applicazione di nanoparticelle d'oro su tessuti di cotone flessibili come substrati sensibili all'acetone e all'etanolo mediante misurazioni di impedenza. Nello specifico, nanoparticelle d'oro (NP Au) funzionalizzate con citrato e polivinilpirrolidone (PVP) sono state sintetizzate utilizzando procedure verdi e consolidate e depositate su tessuto di cotone. Una caratterizzazione strutturale e morfologica completa è stata condotta utilizzando la spettroscopia UV-VIS e infrarossa a trasformata di Fourier (FT-IR), la microscopia a forza atomica (AFM) e la microscopia elettronica a scansione (SEM). Una caratterizzazione dielettrica dettagliata del substrato vuoto ha rivelato effetti di polarizzazione interfacciale legati sia alle NP Au che alla loro specifica funzionalizzazione superficiale. Ad esempio, rivestendo interamente il tessuto di cotone (ovvero creando una matrice più isolante), è stato riscontrato che il PVP aumenta la resistenza del campione, ovvero diminuisce l'interconnessione elettrica delle NP Au rispetto al campione funzionalizzato con citrato. Tuttavia, è stato osservato che la funzionalizzazione del citrato ha fornito una distribuzione uniforme delle NP Au, che ha ridotto la loro spaziatura e, quindi, facilitato il trasporto degli elettroni. Per quanto riguarda il rilevamento dei composti organici volatili (COV), le misurazioni della spettroscopia di impedenza elettrochimica (EIS) hanno mostrato che il legame idrogeno e la risultante impedenza di migrazione protonica sono fondamentali per distinguere l'etanolo dall'acetone., This work focuses on the possible application of gold nanoparticles on flexible cotton fabric as acetone- and ethanol-sensitive substrates by means of impedance measurements. Specifically, citrate- and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were synthesized using green and well-established procedures and deposited on cotton fabric. A complete structural and morphological characterization was conducted using UV-VIS and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A detailed dielectric characterization of the blank substrate revealed interfacial polarization effects related to both Au NPs and their specific surface functionalization. For instance, by entirely coating the cotton fabric (i.e., by creating a more insulating matrix), PVP was found to increase the sample resistance, i.e., to decrease the electrical interconnection of Au NPs with respect to citrate functionalized sample. However, it was observed that citrate functionalization provided a uniform distribution of Au NPs, which reduced their spacing and, therefore, facilitated electron transport. Regarding the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed that hydrogen bonding and the resulting proton migration impedance are instrumental in distinguishing ethanol and acetone. Such findings can pave the way for the development of VOC sensors integrated into personal protective equipment and wearable telemedicine devices. This approach may be crucial for early disease diagnosis based on nanomaterials to attain low-cost/low-end and easy-to-use detectors of breath volatiles as disease markers., Funding: The authors thanks T. De Caro, A. Brotzu, L. Zortea, and L. Cerri for their technical support in Raman, SEM, and AFM measurements.

This paper proposes a telemedicine tool (complete of hardware, software and 3D printed face mask) for analyzing exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. Our interest in CO2 pattern is due to its correlation to psychological and physiological health status. To achieve this information, we developed a customized printed circuit board equipped with a CO2 sensor for breath analysis, a microcontroller, a WiFi module for data transmission, and a battery for enabling an autonomous device. We also developed an interactive web page for the users and a database for daily remote data management. The device was tested on two healthy subjects of different ages and with different lifestyles. The results highlighted that the younger subject presents increased CO2 values as a direct link to a more active life. We consider these promising results for testing our device on a major cohort of observational studies.

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, wearing a disposable face mask has become a worldwide daily routine, not only for medical operators or specialized personnel, but also for common people. Notwithstanding the undeniable positive effect in reducing the risk of virus transmission, it is important to understand if a prolonged usage of the same face mask can have effectiveness on filtering capability and potential health consequences. To this aim, we present three investigations. A survey, carried out in central Italy, offers an overview of the distorted public awareness of face mask usage. A functional study shows how prolonged wearing leads to substantial drops in humid air filtration efficiency. Finally, a morphological analysis reports the proliferation of fungal or bacteria colonies inside an improperly used mask. Our study highlights therefore that wearing a face mask is really beneficial only if it is used correctly., Funding Agencies|Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the Sapienza University Project 2021 "SMART FACE-MASK FOR MONITORING HEALT-RELATED PARAMETERS IN THE BREATHING ZONE" [RG12117A84C979D3]; Regione Lazio; Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale (FESR) [1398 001-36723]; Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) [PGR00843]

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, wearing a disposable face mask has become a worldwide daily routine, not only for medical operators or specialized personnel, but also for common people. Notwithstanding the undeniable positive effect in reducing the risk of virus transmission, it is important to understand if a prolonged usage of the same face mask can have effectiveness on filtering capability and potential health consequences. To this aim, we present three investigations. A survey, carried out in central Italy, offers an overview of the distorted public awareness of face mask usage. A functional study shows how prolonged wearing leads to substantial drops in humid air filtration efficiency. Finally, a morphological analysis reports the proliferation of fungal or bacteria colonies inside an improperly used mask. Our study highlights therefore that wearing a face mask is really beneficial only if it is used correctly., Funding Agencies|Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the Sapienza University Project 2021 "SMART FACE-MASK FOR MONITORING HEALT-RELATED PARAMETERS IN THE BREATHING ZONE" [RG12117A84C979D3]; Regione Lazio; Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale (FESR) [1398 001-36723]; Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) [PGR00843]

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, wearing a disposable face mask has become a worldwide daily routine, not only for medical operators or specialized personnel, but also for common people. Notwithstanding the undeniable positive effect in reducing the risk of virus transmission, it is important to understand if a prolonged usage of the same face mask can have effectiveness on filtering capability and potential health consequences. To this aim, we present three investigations. A survey, carried out in central Italy, offers an overview of the distorted public awareness of face mask usage. A functional study shows how prolonged wearing leads to substantial drops in humid air filtration efficiency. Finally, a morphological analysis reports the proliferation of fungal or bacteria colonies inside an improperly used mask. Our study highlights therefore that wearing a face mask is really beneficial only if it is used correctly., Funding Agencies|Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the Sapienza University Project 2021 "SMART FACE-MASK FOR MONITORING HEALT-RELATED PARAMETERS IN THE BREATHING ZONE" [RG12117A84C979D3]; Regione Lazio; Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale (FESR) [1398 001-36723]; Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) [PGR00843]

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, wearing a disposable face mask has become a worldwide daily routine, not only for medical operators or specialized personnel, but also for common people. Notwithstanding the undeniable positive effect in reducing the risk of virus transmission, it is important to understand if a prolonged usage of the same face mask can have effectiveness on filtering capability and potential health consequences. To this aim, we present three investigations. A survey, carried out in central Italy, offers an overview of the distorted public awareness of face mask usage. A functional study shows how prolonged wearing leads to substantial drops in humid air filtration efficiency. Finally, a morphological analysis reports the proliferation of fungal or bacteria colonies inside an improperly used mask. Our study highlights therefore that wearing a face mask is really beneficial only if it is used correctly., Funding Agencies|Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the Sapienza University Project 2021 "SMART FACE-MASK FOR MONITORING HEALT-RELATED PARAMETERS IN THE BREATHING ZONE" [RG12117A84C979D3]; Regione Lazio; Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale (FESR) [1398 001-36723]; Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) [PGR00843]

Many aspects of the world population's daily life have been recently changed by the events following the SARS-COV-2 pandemic outbreak. Among all the consequences, wearing face masks has become a common routine to protect from virus transmission risks. This work presents a simple colorimetric system able to detect the carbon dioxide (CO2) saturation inside a disposable face mask, which is useful to determine the level of wear and degradation and to visually provide indications on its disposal time. The experiments were carried out by wearing a FFP2 face mask externally treated with a phenolphthalein solution and including in its breathing zone a CO2 sensor. Changes in face mask color were recorded by a camera and analyzed with ImageJ. A strong correspondence was found between the high values of CO2 detected by the sensor and the analyzed data. The results are promising and suggest further efforts in developing easy-to-use colorimetric methods as a visual indicator of the life cycle of a disposable face mask.

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, wearing a disposable face mask has become a worldwide daily routine, not only for medical operators or specialized personnel, but also for common people. Notwithstanding the undeniable positive effect in reducing the risk of virus transmission, it is important to understand if a prolonged usage of the same face mask can have effectiveness on filtering capability and potential health consequences. To this aim, we present three investigations. A survey, carried out in central Italy, offers an overview of the distorted public awareness of face mask usage. A functional study shows how prolonged wearing leads to substantial drops in humid air filtration efficiency. Finally, a morphological analysis reports the proliferation of fungal or bacteria colonies inside an improperly used mask. Our study highlights therefore that wearing a face mask is really beneficial only if it is used correctly., Funding Agencies|Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the Sapienza University Project 2021 "SMART FACE-MASK FOR MONITORING HEALT-RELATED PARAMETERS IN THE BREATHING ZONE" [RG12117A84C979D3]; Regione Lazio; Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale (FESR) [1398 001-36723]; Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) [PGR00843]