Masks, False Safety and Real Dangers, Part 1

https://pdmj.org/papers/masks_false_safety_and_real_dangers_part1/

PDMJ

Masks, false safety and real dangers, Part 1:

Friable mask particulate

and lung vulnerability

September 13, 2020.

Completed peer-review and revised, September 24, 2020

https://pdmj.org/papers/masks_false_safety_and_

real_dangers_part1/

Boris Borovoy,

Colleen Huber,

Q Makeeta

iii

PDMJ.org is retained by the author(s).

Abstract

There is no biological history of mass masking until the current era. It is important to consider

possible outcomes of this society-wide experiment. The consequences to the health of

individuals is as yet unknown.

Masked individuals have measurably higher inspiratory flow than non-masked individuals. This

study is of new masks removed from manufacturer packaging, as well as a laundered cloth

mask, examined microscopically. Loose particulate was seen on each type of mask. Also, tight

and loose fibers were seen on each type of mask. If every foreign particle and every fiber in

every facemask is always secure and not detachable by airflow, then there should be no risk of

inhalation of such particles and fibers. However, if even a small portion of mask fibers is

detachable by inspiratory airflow, or if there is debris in mask manufacture or packaging or

handling, then there is the possibility of not only entry of foreign material to the airways, but

also entry to deep lung tissue, and potential pathological consequences of foreign bodies in the

lungs.

Introduction

The nose and mouth are the gateways to the lungs for land vertebrates. There is no known

history of a species that has begun to voluntarily or involuntarily obstruct, partially obstruct or

Boris A Borovoy, MPH has a Master in Public Health from Moscow Medical Academy.

Colleen Huber, NMD is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor and Naturopathic Oncologist (FNORI), writing on topics of

masks, COVID-19, cancer and nutrition.

iii

Q Makeeta, DC is a Doctor of Chiropractic.

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filter the orifices to their airways and lungs. We have no biological history of such a species or

how they would have adapted to or possibly survived such a novel practice.

However, recently, in mid-2020, throughout the world, in some countries far more than others,

human self-masking has become commonplace, whether due to insistence by governments,

requirement of employers, educational institutions and business-owners, or social pressures in

one’s immediate social circles. The proximal reason behind these reasons is abundant fear and

desire for protection from COVID-19 throughout the world in 2020. People have been either

coerced or otherwise pressured to wear “face coverings,” allegedly for the purpose of “slowing

the spread of COVID-19.” The general public’s response is to use disposable surgical masks, and

a wide variety of cloth masks and other cloth face coverings. In the western hemisphere at

least these facemasks had not been worn outside of certain hospital facilities, not outside of

surgical settings and intensive care units of hospitals.

Prior research has overwhelmingly shown that there is no significant evidence of benefits of

masks, particularly regarding transmission of viral infections, and that there are well-

established risks. Evidence from peer-reviewed clinical studies and meta-analyses on problems

concerning the effectiveness and safety of masks are summarized in this article.

Optimal oxygen intake in humans has been calculated in the absence of any obstruction to the

airways. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has determined that

the optimal range of oxygen in the air for humans is between 19.5 and 23.5%. In previous

times, before the COVID-19 era, OSHA required that any human-occupied airspace where

oxygen measured less than 19.5% to be labelled as “not safe for workers.”

The percentage of

oxygen inside a masked airspace generally measures 17.4% within several seconds of wearing.

It has been observed that maximal voluntary ventilation and maximal inspiratory pressure

increase during lower availability of oxygen at ascent in altitude,

as well as for those who live

at high altitude.

Because oxygen is so essential to life, and in adequate amounts, humans and

animals have developed the ability to sense changes in oxygen concentration, and to adapt to

such challenges quickly. The medulla oblongata and carotid bodies are sensitive to such

changes. Both lower ambient oxygen and increased ambient carbon dioxide stimulates

ventilation, as the body quickly and steadfastly attempts to acquire more oxygen.

As a

compensatory mechanism, inspiratory flow is measurably higher in mask-wearers than in

controls.

The question then arises: If inspiratory flow is increased over normal while wearing a mask, is

every fiber attached to one’s facemask secure enough not to be inhaled into the lungs of the

mask-wearer? Is it good enough for a majority of these fibers to be secure? Or must every part

of every mask fiber of every mask be secure at all times?

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Materials Used in Masks

Inhaled cotton fibers have been shown to cause subpleural ground glass opacities at the surface

of the visceral pleura, as well as centrilobular and peribronchovascular interstitial thickening, as

well as fibrous thickening of peribronchiolar interstitium. It was found by spectral analysis by

infrared spectrophotometry that the foreign bodies in the lungs had an identical pattern to that

of cellulose, which must have come from the inhaled cotton fibers.

Cotton and even silk may

contribute to COPD in textile workers. Byssinosis is a pulmonary syndrome related to textile

work. When textile workers were exposed to organic dusts from textiles in the workplace, both

reversible and irreversible pulmonary conditions, such as asthma and COPD developed.

should be remembered that unmasked textile workers would not have such high inspiratory

flow as masked individuals.

Therefore, there is even more need that the fibers, debris and other particulate attached to

cloth masks would stay entirely intact; every fiber, and every part of every fiber, and

throughout every breath, at all times, even down to the size of nanometers.

Disposable surgical face masks are made of synthetic fibers, including polymers such as

polypropylene, polyurethane, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene or

polyester. There is an inner layer of soft fibers and a middle layer, which is a melt-blown filter,

as well as a water-resistant outer layer of nonwoven fibers.

This study shows FT-IR spectra of

the degrading fibers of disposable masks. It found that disposable face masks “could be

emerging as a new source of microplastic fibers, as they can degrade/fragment or break down

into smaller size/pieces . . . .

Research on synthetic fibers has shown a correlation between the inhalation of synthetic fibers

and various bronchopulmonary diseases, such as asthma, alveolitis, chronic bronchitis,

bronchiectasis, fibrosis, spontaneous pneumothorax and chronic pneumonia. Cellular

proliferation made up of histiocytes and fibroblasts were found in the lungs of those exposed to

synthetic fibers in ambient air. Focal lesions in the lungs showed granulomas and collagen

fibers containing both fine dust and long fibers. Some of the lung illnesses from this exposure

could be reversed, while others had already proceeded to pulmonary fibrosis.

Bioburden of masks has also been established. This study found bioburden on each type of

mask studied, even after first use in a surgical environment. Speaking while wearing masks

resulted in a significantly higher bioburden cultured from the face side of a mask.

Possible Risk of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is among the worst diseases that can be suffered or witnessed. It kills

exceedingly slowly, by ever-thickening matrix formation, a kind of scar tissue, obstructing the

alveoli and reducing their air exchange. The illness worsens slowly over time, and suffocates

the victim very gradually. Nothing is available to the sufferer from conventional medicine.

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Neither medication nor radiation can undo the damage of the fibrous matrix laid down in the

lungs’ tissue. Similarly, surgery is not available to eliminate the insidious, suffocating mesh that

painstakingly takes the life of the unfortunate patient. Neither is any known cure available in

the realm of natural or alternative medicine. Neither nutrient, herb, nor any other known

treatment can even reduce the fibrogenesis, let alone eliminate it. The 5-year survival rate is

only 20%.

The only remedy against this scourge is diligent prevention of small and

microscopic inhaled foreign bodies.

Inhaled particles, particularly nanoparticles, can begin the process of pulmonary fibrosis by

forming free radicals such as superoxide anions. The resulting oxidative stress promotes

inflammatory responses and surface reactivity.

The pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary

fibrosis begins when Type 2 alveoli are injured and epithelia is not fully healed. Interstitial

fibroblasts differentiate into myofibroblasts, which gather in fibrotic foci and form fibers with

contractile properties.

This is followed by synthesis and deposit of extracellular matrix, which

seems to be key in suffocating the air exchange of alveoli.

Particles of nanometer to micrometer size have been implicated as causative agents in

pulmonary fibrosis.

Airborne inhaled nano-size particles are especially dangerous for the

lungs, but are small enough to undergo transcytosis across epithelial and endothelial cells to

enter blood and lymph, reaching the cardiovascular system, spleen, bone marrow, and have

been observed to travel along axons and dendrites of the central nervous system and ganglia, a

phenomenon that has been known for decades.

Inhaled particles of 20 nm have deposited, more than other sizes of nano-particles, in the

alveolar region, during nose-breathing of a person at rest.

Methods

We examined microscopically the concave face side of a variety of new masks, taken directly

out of their packaging from the manufacturer, not yet worn. However, the cloth mask below

was worn for one day, and then laundered, and never worn again.

The following are the types of masks and the macroscopic view of the face side of each:

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Cup

mask

Cloth

mask,

worn one

day, then

laundered

, and not

used

again

N-95

mask

N-95

mask #2

Surgical

mask

The following photos were taken of the same masks at 40x to 100 x magnification.

Higher resolution photos from other sources are in Appendix A.

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Cup mask particulate and soiled appearing fibers

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Cloth mask particulate and loosened fibers after one day use and laundering once

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Surgical mask soiled appearance and particulate

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N-95 #1 particulate and soiled appearing fibers

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N-95 #2 particulate

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On the other hand, when masks are used, particulate and fibers may become further loosened.

The following photo shows a lightly used hospital face mask illuminated by a consumer LED

flashlight.

Results

A variety of face masks were examined macroscopically and microscopically. Each type of new,

just unpackaged mask showed particulate matter and/or unidentified fibers. The first N-95

showed the fewest loose particles. All of the masks showed partially loose fibers in nearly

every visual field. The cloth mask had been used previously but was laundered and then not

used again. This also showed loose fibers dangling from the woven fabric of the mask, as well

as particulate debris. The cloth mask had more loose fibers than the others, typically 4 or 5

partially loose or dangling fibers that were compressible toward the weave in each visual field.

The unclean appearance surrounding the oval shapes of the surgical mask may be due to an

artifact of the thermal processing of mask textile. This may be some drops of melted

polyethylene or other polymer plastic.

Conclusion

Surgical personnel are trained to never touch any part of a mask, except the loops and the nose

bridge. Otherwise, the mask is considered useless and is to be replaced. Surgical personnel are

strictly trained not to touch their masks otherwise. However, the general public may be seen

touching various parts of their masks. Even the masks just removed from manufacturer

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packaging have been shown in the above photos to contain particulate and fiber that would not

be optimal to inhale.

Both cotton and polymer clothing have been well-tolerated without pathology when covering

any other part of the body, except over the only entry points/gateway to the respiratory

system. Inhalation risks, such as the constant ventilation of the respiratory process, increased

by the greater effort to attempt to fulfill bodily oxygen needs, with mostly and closely covered

orifices are of great concern for those who would want to protect pulmonary health, without

inhalation of unwanted particulate. When partial airway obstruction, i.e. masking, is added,

deeper and more forceful breathing occurs. When this phenomenon is combined with the

particles found herein on microscopic examination of the face side of newly unpackaged, never

worn masks, there can arise the risk of a dangerous level of foreign material entering lung

tissue. Furthermore, worn masks can only either lose these particles to lodge in the lungs of the

wearer, or they would accumulate during use, to the burden (both biological and debris) of

non-mask material carried on the inside of the mask.

Further concerns of macrophage response and other immune and inflammatory and fibroblast

response to such inhaled particles specifically from facemasks should be the subject of more

research.

If widespread masking continues, then the potential for inhaling mask fibers and environmental

and biological debris continues on a daily basis for hundreds of millions of people. This should

be alarming for physicians and epidemiologists knowledgeable in occupational hazards.

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Appendix A

The following are higher resolution microscopic photos of masks, with links to the sources of

the photos.

Disposable surgical masks, with scanning electron microscope views.

http://atm.amegroups.com/article/view/32465/html

http://cdn.amegroups.cn/journals/amepc/files/journals/16/articles/32465/public/32465-PB4-

7346-R1.png

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Cotton cloth photo at 40x magnification

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8e/cf/29/8ecf29ee6e2062ed0d92313042e58dd3.jpg

N-95 Respirator, at 20 micron resolution, scanning electron microscope

https://groups.oist.jp/sites/default/files/imce/u92/fmask/SEM200mu.png

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