TY - JOUR T1 - Wearing an N95 Respirator Concurrently With a Powered Air-Purifying Respirator: Effect on Protection Factor JF - Respiratory Care SP - 1685 LP - 1690 VL - 53 IS - 12 AU - Marc R Roberge AU - Mark R Vojtko AU - Raymond J Roberge AU - Richard J Vojtko AU - Douglas P Landsittel Y1 - 2008/12/01 UR - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/53/12/1685.abstract N2 - OBJECTIVE: To determine if using an N95 filtering face-piece respirator concurrently with a loose-fitting powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) offers additional protection to the wearer. METHODS: We used a breathing mannequin programmed to deliver minute volumes of 25 L/min and 40 L/min. We measured the baseline protection factor of the PAPR with its motor operational and then deactivated (to simulate mechanical or battery failure). We tested 3 replicates of 3 different N95 models. We glued each N95 to the breathing mannequin and obtained a minimum protection factor of 100 at 25 L/min. We then placed the PAPR on the mannequin and took protection factor measurements with the N95-plus-PAPR combination, at 25 L/min and 40 L/min, with the PAPR operational and then deactivated. RESULTS: The N95 significantly increased the PAPR's protection factor, even with the PAPR deactivated. The effect was multiplicative, not merely additive. CONCLUSIONS: An N95 decreases the concentration of airborne particles inspired by the wearer of a PAPR. ER -