Given the massive and daily use of surgical masks since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and the Repression of Fraud (DGCCRF) conducted two sampling campaigns in 2020 then 2021, on several dozen surgical masks intended for the general public. The objective was to search for any chemical substances present in these masks.
ANSES was tasked with assessing these risks. His analyzes revealed the presence of several chemical substances: dioxins, furans, PCB-DL (polychlorinated biphenyls – dioxin-like), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). But exposure to these chemicals does not exceed health thresholdsboth for adults and children, if the conditions of use are respected: change of mask every 4 hours maximum, mask worn the right way round, etc.
Graphene in some FFP2 masks
“As long as the recommendations for wearing masks are respected, these results are rather reassuring. Compliance with health thresholds guarantees the absence of risk for the health of populations, whether these substances are inhaled or in contact with the skin” explains Céline Dubois, coordinator of this expertise at ANSES. The dioxins/furans/PCB-DLs analyzed would not be added intentionally by manufacturers but could result from contamination from manufacturing processes or from external contamination. However, ANSES reiterates the responsibility of manufacturers and marketers in terms of controlling the composition of surgical masks and asks them to clearly indicate the presence of known allergens on the packaging.
Conclusion : ANSES does not show that health thresholds are exceeded if the recommended conditions of use are followed.
In addition, ANSES analyzed certain FFP2 protective masks containing graphene, following an alert from Canadian health authorities in April 2021 about a potential pulmonary risk linked to the inhalation of graphene particles. Following its expert appraisal, the Agency emphasizes that the available data does not reveal any worrying exposure situations. “However, it is impossible to assess the health risk linked to exposure to graphene, due to the lack of information on the graphene used by manufacturers and on the toxicity of this substance, in particular in the long term. We therefore recommend that the public authorities give priority to the marketing or provision of masks without graphene” underlines ANSES.
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