Respirators protect you from external pathogens whereas normal masks protect others from your own bacteria. Respirators protect the wearer from exposure to airborne particles, and in healthcare, protect from exposure to biological aerosols including viruses and bacteria. Normal masks are a barrier to splashes, droplets, and biological fluids, and were designed to protect patients from droplets expelled from health care workers. Respirators are designed to seal tight to the face of the wearer.

The O2 Curve uses a triboelectric charged filtration system, which consists of a hydrophobic outer layer that sandwiches layers of melt blown filter medium. This filter system works both mechanically and electrostatically, and particles that are too small to be filtered physically are attracted to the charged filter, for improved filter efficiency and performance. The O2 Curve filters are designed to filter with greater than 99% efficiency down to a particle size of 0.1 µm, and independent lab testing confirmed filter efficiency of greater than 99% with particle sizes from 0.1 to 0.5 µm, using a flow rate of 236 L / min.

How often you should replace your filter depends on usage and the environment it’s used in. For general use, such as pollution filtration, the filter should last one to two weeks. In very dusty environments, you may need to switch the filter more often. Health measures that work for some people may not necessarily work for others. Different people have different levels of sensitivity, and as such, may require different types of masks to protect against the same type and concentration of substance. A mask improperly used may do little to protect you from any offending substance and may even worsen your exposure in some cases.