Determination of hydrogen peroxide on N95 masks after sanitization using a colorimetric method

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used as a sterilizing agent for medical devices and its use has recently been extended to N95 masks during PPE shortages as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hydrogen peroxide remaining on the masks after sterilization could potentially pose a health hazard to the mask users. In the present study a colorimetric method was optimized for the determination of hydrogen peroxide on N95 masks following chemical sanitizations. The developed analytical method demonstrated an overall recovery of 98% ± 7%. The limit of detection ranged from 0.16 to 0.25 mg/mask, depending on the type of mask. The expanded measurement uncertainty was 13% (at a 95% confidence interval). The sanitization process itself introduced a significant variation in hydrogen peroxide load between masks. The ozone used in the sanitization process had no significant impact on analytical performance. Stamped and printed marks on the mask surfaces could induce biased readings. Hydrogen peroxide decomposes quickly on the mask surfaces so timing of analysis is an important factor in method standardization.• The validation data demonstrated that the in-house method is reliable and fit for the intended purpose, offering a sensitive, simple, rapid, and inexpensive method of residue monitoring.