Snuggy Bear Face Masks for Kids with Active Charcoal Filters
We've all learned a lot about face masks over the past few months but many people want to know more about the filters. I didn't think about how important having a filter was until I read the following info on the CDC's website and wanted to pass this along to help clear up any misunderstandings about how they work and why they're so important.
Why is it called PM2.5?
The 2.5 in PM2.5 refers to the size of the pollutant in micrometres. Bear with us here while it gets a bit mathematics-y! Micrometres have this symbol: µm and are equivalent to 0.001 millimetres. The smallest thing that the average human eye can perceive is about 0.1 millimetres, which is around the same width as a human hair. So in order for us to see something as incredibly small as a micrometre, we need to use powerful microscopes. Here’s a diagram from the Environmental Protection Agency to help you visualize the scale of these tiny particles.
Although mostly invisible to the naked eye, the air we breathe is full of tiny particles of; chemicals, soil, smoke, dust or allergens, in the form of liquids, gases, or solids. When we burn fossil fuels for energy use and production. The release of gases and chemicals are created air pollution, posing a risk to human health and the planet as a whole. These minuscule airborne hazards are referred to as particulate matter, or PM.
While it is obvious that breathing in any particles in the air is going to aggravate your airways, experts are particularly worried about the extremely small particles such as PM2.5 as they not only penetrate deep into our lungs but are also so minute that they can even pass into our bloodstream.
What are the negative effects of exposure to PM2.5?
Depending on how healthy you are in general, PM2.5 will have different long and short term negative health effects. When exposed to levels of PM2.5 between to moderate – hazardous range, one may experience the following effects:
- shortness of breath
- eye, nose and throat irritation
- excessive coughing and wheezing
- diminished lung function and lung disease
- diminished heart function, sometimes resulting in heart attack
- asthma attacks
PM2.5 also damages the environment by increasing acidity in the soil and water bodies. Which in turn affects their ability to produce food and support life.
Snuggy Bear Face Mask for Kids Helps eliminate these particulates from the air they breath. Buy Snuggy Bear Face Masks For Kids Here.