34
Time-‐Temperature Profile of Nested N95 Masks
Within an RH-‐N95
Figure 2
Logger Generated Data of N95 Decontamination Cycle
Validation of Bioburden Reduction
Data from peer-‐reviewed literature provides a strong indication of those temperatures and
exposures that are prescribed for the RH-‐95 that can inactivate coronavirus and will maintain
structural integrity and performance of the re-‐processed N95 respirator. This data has been
instrumental in the construction of a decontamination cycle that should provide > 3 Log
10
reduction
for SARS-‐Co-‐V (Rabenau et al.). Rabenau et al. noted that heat treatment at 56°C for 30 minutes
reduced a >7 Log
10
SARS virus concentration to below the detection limit. Processing at 60°C for
30 min resulted in no infectious virus remaining (>7 Log
10
reduction), regardless of the presence of
any protein.
This data is also consistent with data provided by the World Health Organization for coronavirus
(SARS) demonstrating an extrapolated 6 Log
10
reduction in 22.5 minutes at 56°C (133°F). The data
gleaned from these references leads us to believe that temperatures between 65-‐72°C (149-‐162°F)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
1
140
279
418
557
696
835
974
1113
1252
1391
1530
1669
1808
1947
2086
2225
2364
2503
Series1
Series2
Time in Seconds
Temp
Degrees F
