Assessing changes to N95 respirator filtration efficiency, qualitative and quantitative fit, and seal check with repeated vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) decontamination

N95 respirators were reprocessed using vaporized hydrogen peroxide to supplement limited supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we found no statistically significant differences in qualitative and quantitative fit or filtration efficiency with reprocessing. Filtration efficiency remained above 95% even at 25 cycles of reprocessing without statistically significant change from cycle 20-25 compared to cycle 0 (P = .10, P = .05, respectively). Vaporous hydrogen peroxide is an effective option to augment N95 respirator supplies. (C) 2021 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, it was found that vaporized hydrogen peroxide is an effective option for supplementing limited supplies of N95 respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reprocessing the respirators did not result in significant differences in fit or filtration efficiency.