What Is An Activated Carbon Filter?

What is an Activated Carbon Filter for and do you need one?

An Activated Carbon Filter is an effective form of protection for face mask wearers looking to seek protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is a filter made of an activated carbon layer to filter out gases, viruses, bacteria, contaminants, and impurities in the air.

Face masks made from home are usually made of 2 layers, from a cotton or breathable fabric and do not come with this filtration technology and therefore wearers are exposed to a greater degree, to harmful viruses such as COVID-19.

According to Choice, Dr Norman Swan says "A lot of people are just selling single-layer masks," he says. "They are better than nothing, but only just a little bit... You really do want to try and find those triple-layer masks or surgical masks that meet the Australian standard."

The activated carbon is processed to have small pores that increase the surface area available for adsorption of these impurities into the layer.  It has a high degree of microporosity, and can effectively filter out 99.88% of viruses, bacteria, pollution, dust, chemicals, particles, pollen and smoke in the environment.

The activated carbon filter provided by Safety & Defence Solutions meet STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® (one of the world's best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances) and is certified to be completely free from harmful chemicals and safe for human use.

Where to buy a mask?

Safety & Defence Solutions stock a 2-layer mask which has a pocket designed for the 3rd layer, the activated carbon filter. You can view the 2-3-layer mask here.

How to make a home-made face mask with a filter layer?

The Department of Health & Human Services has put out a guide on how to make your own three-layer mask.

For added protection you can use the Activated Carbon Filter as the middle layer instead of an additional layer of cotton which will not be as effective at filtering out contaminants. 

View this video for how to make your own cloth face mask with a pocket for a filter: