GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has called on authorities to ensure face masks and other protective equipment sold in the market do not contain graphene and other potentially toxic nanoparticles, harmful to health.
This follows action taken by the Canadian government which prohibited the use of face masks containing graphene, due to the possibility of risks from inhalation of the graphene particles.
Graphene is a novel nanomaterial, comprising minute particles, which has been touted as having anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
According to CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader, as wearing of face masks is a critical line of defence against Covid-19 and other airborne illnesses, the presence of nanoparticles in the face mask should not be an additional health risk to consumers.
"In view of the present situation, where the wearing of face masks has become a necessity, CAP calls on authorities to ban the sale of face masks which contain nanoparticles of graphene or other materials.
"We also urge authorities to promulgate standards for face masks," he said today.
Mohideen said consumers should take the cue from this and stay safe by opting for cotton masks, which can prevent the spread of infection.
"According to studies, graphene-laced face masks have the potential to cause early lung toxicity in animals.
"In spite of the potential health risks, millions of face masks containing nano-graphene are being produced every day and sold around the world," Mohideen added.
Face masks containing graphene can be identified by its dark coloured lining on the inner side of the mask. It is easily identifiable by its grey colour.
Graphene is a form of carbon that consists of nanoscopically thin flakes of hexagonally-arranged carbon atoms. When a material, like carbon or silver, is reduced to atoms -- its smallest components -- it starts to behave in unusual ways, which can increase its toxicity.
This change in behaviour is what makes nanographene effective in killing bacteria, viruses, and other microbes.
When used in masks, Mohideen said the coating of nanographene was meant to shield the user from particles in the air, slicing them apart as they are inhaled through the layer of graphene.
"However, as the masks are worn, flakes of nanographene slough off and can be inhaled into the lungs.
"Users of such face masks had complained of breathing difficulty, skin irritation and the feeling of breathing in cat hair," he added.
In view of this, the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), together with international NGOs, had sent a letter to European officials asking them to take masks with nanoparticles off the market and ban the sale of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) containing nanoform materials currently not authorised in the European Union (EU) market.