Doctors Can Now Sterilize and Reuse Face Masks in Time of Shortage

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals are facing critical shortages of N95 face masks. But research and clinical teams have found a way to decontaminate and reuse the masks, using already-existing vaporized hydrogen peroxide.

With the help of specialized equipment to vaporize hydrogen peroxide, the teams from Duke Health in North Carolina, USA have confirmed that the decontamination process effectively kills germs without degrading the masks.

“This is a decontamination technology and method we’ve used for years in our biocontainment laboratory,” says Scott Alderman, associate director of the Duke Regional Biocontainment Laboratory.

“We had never considered needing it for something like face masks,” adds Matthew Stiegel, Ph.D., director of the Occupational and Environmental safety Office. “But we’ve now proven that it works and will begin using the technology immediately in all three Duke Health hospitals.”

The Duke Health team is now working on spreading the word about the technique, to help other hospitals also use their existing equipment to help limit the shortages of the N95 masks.