Environnemental Research article: Carbon dioxide rises above acceptable safety levels in children wearing mouth and nose masks: Results of an experimental measurement study in healthy children: https: //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001393512200891X
PDF sworn translation into French :
Summary:
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, children were forced to wear mouth and nose masks (MBNs) in many countries. We wanted to determine the mean levels of CO2 present in inspired air with MBNs in children aged 6 to 17 years. We used short-term measurements under surgical masks and FFP2 masks, according to European standard EN 149, compared with the reference measurement in an experimental, within-subjects study controlled over 25 min. CO2 content was measured every 15 s using an automatic dual-wavelength infrared CO2 meter (G100, Geotech, Leamington Spa, UK) over 25 min in a short-term, seated experimental setting. After the baseline measurement, the children were given two types of MBN commonly worn: surgical masks and FFP2 masks, in random order, for 3 min each. We kept ambient CO2 levels below 1000 parts per million (ppm) through frequent ventilation. We measured respiratory rate and pulse as potential moderating physiological variables. Measurements were taken on forty-five children, 25 boys, 20 girls, with a mean age of 10.7 years (standard deviation 2.6). We measured 13,100 ppm (SD: 380) under the surgical mask and 13,900 ppm (SD 370) under the FFP2 mask in inspired air. A linear model with age as a covariate showed a highly significant effect of situation (p < 1*10_ 9). We measured 2,700 ppm (SD: 100) CO2 before baseline and 2,800 ppm (SD 100) after baseline, a small non-significant difference. Appropriate contrasts revealed that the change was due solely to the masks, and that the difference between the two types of mask was small and insignificant. Wearing MBNs (surgical masks or FFP2 masks) rapidly raises the CO2 content of inspired air to a very high level in healthy children in the resting sitting position, which could be dangerous for children’s health.”
Written by :
Harald Walacha, Change Health Science Institute, Berlin, Germany,
Helmut Traindl, Traindl-consult, Vienna, Austria,
Juliane Prentice, Psychotherapist, Mullheim, Germany,
Ronald Weikl, Obstetrics, Gynecology and General Medicine, Passau, Germany,
Andreas Diemer, General Practice, Gernsbach, Germany
Anna Kappes, Child and adolescent psychotherapist, Mullheim, Germany,
Stefan Hockertz, Tpi Consult GmbH, Bollschweil, Germany
