Simple Tool Evaluates Mask Performance at Blocking Droplets

A proof-of-concept study finds some commonly used facial coverings may perform worse than no mask at all.

Written byAmanda Heidt

| 4 min read

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laser imaging, methods, Duke Health, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pandemic, coronavirus, masks, safety, health, aerosols, droplets, saliva

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ABOVE: SHAWN ROCCO/DUKE HEALTH PHOTOGRAPHY

Masks have emerged as one of the most important public health initiatives of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they come in so many forms, it can be difficult to know which ones work best at blocking respiratory droplets and tiny airborne spray.

A study published August 7 in Science Advances as a proof of concept details a new method for easily visualizing the droplets emitted while speaking and the rough efficiency of different types of masks in minimizing their spread. The authors used a cheap but powerful laser to create a screen of light that scatters when particles pass through. Of the dozen or so masks they tested, some did a much better job at dampening the number of particles detected by the laser.

“We know that all masks are not created equal,” Erica Shenoy, the associate chief of the infection control unit at Massachusetts General ...

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Meet the Author

Amanda Heidt
Amanda first began dabbling in scicom as a master’s student studying marine science at Moss Landing Marine Labs, where she edited the student blog and interned at a local NPR station. She enjoyed that process of demystifying science so much that after receiving her degree in 2019, she went straight into a second master’s program in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Formerly an intern at The Scientist, Amanda joined the team as a staff reporter and editor in 2021 and oversaw the publication’s internship program, assigned and edited the Foundations, Scientist to Watch, and Short Lit columns, and contributed original reporting across the publication. Amanda’s stories often focus on issues of equity and representation in academia, and she brings this same commitment to DEI to the Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains and to the board of the National Association of Science Writers, which she has served on since 2022. She is currently based in the outdoor playground that is Moab, Utah. Read more of her work at www.amandaheidt.com.
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