Respirator filters - what's in them?

[geraldthehamster]

I'm curious as to what the filters in B&Q respirators contain. Their website being crap, I can't find a link, but I refer to the masks with a rubber bit that fits over mouth and nose, with two round filters on either side - one for dust and the other for vapour.

I tend to get shortness of breath from solvent and paint fumes. This week I had it particularly badly (still have, in fact), so I bought one of the above. The first time I used it, I found that after breathing through it for a few minutes, I could expand my lungs a lot better. The effect didn't last for long after I stopped wearing it.

So I'm left wondering what's in the filters, and whether something there is acting as a bronchiodilator.

I think my current episode is connected to naphtha in wood dye, so I'm using water-based from now on.

Cheers Richard

[John Rumm]

It may be that you got accustomed to breathing through a slight resistance, and hence noticed the extra ease of breathing when it was removed?

I don't think they should add anything to the air as such. I would expect some form of activated charcoal in the vapour filters, and possibly certain resins.

I have found the 3M rubber half face respirator very good on fumes in general.

[Tim Watts]

On Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:03:29 -0700, geraldthehamster wibbled:

Charcoal?

That would make it medicinal though surely? And thus out of B&Qs realm.

[jkn]

Like John, I suspect you are noticing the effect of the restricted breathing on your lungs. There are even devices made which use this effect to 'exercise your lungs', with claimed benefits on asthma and bronchitis etc.

HTH J^n

[geraldthehamster]

I should clarify - I experienced the effect while breathing through the mask - ie I was still wearing it. It persisted for some time afterwards.

Cheers Richard

[geraldthehamster]

Those links are interesting - thanks.

Cheers Richard

[John Rumm]

Ah ok.... in which case it sounds like you were either experiencing relief from an airborne contaminant that usually has a negative effect on your breathing - say the removal of pollen or some other dust. Or, you may have found the altered humidity with the mask on helped in some way.

I find for example if I have a bit of congestion with a cold, then a spell in a car with aircon will alleviate some of the difficulty, not only at the time, but also for a spell after.

I also remember reading of some research with hay fever sufferers wearing a full helmet respirator for a couple of hours a day. Apparently the complete relief from pollen etc also proved effective for much longer than just the spell of use.

[Dave Liquorice]

I'd go along with that, with more weight on the raised humidty. A nebuliser is just a fine water mist. Yes drugs can be added to it but just the mist can help poor breathing.

The vapour filters probably contain activated carbon.

[John Whitworth]

I can well believe that - I guess complete relief from symptoms for a couple of hours gives eyes, nose and throat a chance to simmer right down, and prevent a lot of the inflammation that also causes irritation.

[The Other Mike]

Which is a bit strange as asthma typically gets worse in very thundery weather.

[<me9]

The sudden increase in humidity causes some pollen grains to explode into smaller pieces, which affect teh lungs (asthma) rather than the nose (hay fever), thus affecting asthma sufferers.

[jkn]

And also down a salt mine, which have very low levels on airborne pollutants and allergens

J^n

[geraldthehamster]

I was describing my symptoms today to a friend who suffers from asthma, and he left me wondering if I have adult-onset asthma myself (I'm 50), brought on in this case by naphtha fumes. I'm going to see my doctor on Monday, anyway. He loves it when I self-diagnose from the internet ;-)

Cheers Richard

[The Natural Philosopher]

Yes. I remember a drive in a Corsa..with pollen filter..after 2 hours I could breathe again.

its a neat trick. Use the aircon and the fan with the windows closed in hot weather to get relief.

Oddly enough, another trick that works for me is to drive to Norfolk. the sandy soil supports different grasses to which I am less susceptible, I conjecture, (with no other evidence to support it) ;-)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Actually not really. It depends on what is triggering it.

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