With the ongoing pandemic and the rise of various infectious diseases, the importance of Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) has become a crucial factor in protecting ourselves from harmful bacteria and viruses. BFE is a measurement of a material's resistance to the penetration of bacteria, and it indicates the effectiveness of a fabric in preventing the entry of infectious particles. In this article, we will discuss BFE and its significance in different fields.
What is Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE)?
In simple terms, BFE is a measure of how well a material can filter out bacteria. It is a percentage that shows the material's ability to resist the penetration of bacterial particles. The higher the BFE, the better the barrier efficiency of the material against bacteria. BFE testing is an essential step in determining the quality and reliability of a material's performance as it relates to bacterial filtration.
Why is BFE important?
BFE is crucial in preventing the spread of infectious bacteria and viruses. It helps to ensure that the material used in products, such as masks, gowns, surgical drapes, and other medical devices, provides the necessary protection against harmful microorganisms. BFE also plays a critical role in determining the effectiveness of non-medical materials like air filters, carpeting, and food packaging materials.
Moreover, BFE helps maintain the quality of medical and non-medical products. It prevents unwanted foreign particles from entering the product during the production process, which can cause damage or contamination. BFE is also a vital consideration during the manufacturing of products, where the inclusion of bacteria can cause significant delays and additional costs.
How is BFE measured?
BFE can be determined by testing the material's ability to resist bacterial penetration. The test involves subjecting the material to bacterial aerosols and measuring the percentage of bacteria that pass through the material. The test is commonly performed following the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) procedures with the ASTM F2100 standard.
During the BFE test, samples of various materials are exposed to bacterial aerosols while measuring the pressure drop across the fabric. This pressure drop ensures that the test represents real-world use in situations like filters where pressure plays a crucial role in the efficiency of material.
What materials have high BFE?
Among the materials that undergo BFE testing, non-woven fibers prove to have higher grades of BFE. Disposable surgical masks, for example, use non-woven fibers that achieve around 95% of bacterial filtration efficiency. As for reusable masks, those made of tight-knit cotton fabric perform well, achieving a BFE of 70% to 80%.
When it comes to air filtration systems, the BFE of HEPA filters ranges from 99.97% to 99.99%, depending on the size of the filtered particles. These filters use densely packed synthetic fibers to trap particles as small as 0.3 microns, making them highly effective in removing harmful particles from the air.
Conclusion
With the threat of infectious diseases continuing to rise, the importance of BFE in protecting ourselves from harmful bacteria and viruses has become increasingly critical. Investing in products with high BFE ratings can help ensure we have adequate protection from infectious diseases. The standard of BFE testing has gone through a long evolution, and scientific communities worldwide continue to refine test procedures to enable reliable testing and efficient products.