Table I.
Characteristics of studies included in this systematic review of microwave- and heat-based decontamination of N95 filtering facepiece respirators
| First author | Year | Region of origin | Number of decontamination conditionsa |
Number of inoculation conditionsa (varied parameter) | Number of unique N95 models | Outcomes evaluated |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MW | Heat | Aerosol penetration | Airflow resistance | Germicidal effect (pathogen) | Fit | Physical traits | |||||
| Bergman | 2010 | USA | 1 | 1 | – | 6 | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Bergman | 2011 | USA | 1 | 1 | – | 3 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Fischer | 2020 | USA | – | 4 | 1 | 2 | No | No | Yes (SARS-CoV-2) | Yes | No |
| Fisher | 2009 | USA | 5 | – | 2 (inoculation medium) | 1 | No | No | Yes (MS2) | No | No |
| Fisher | 2011 | USA | 2 | – | 1 | 6 | Yes | No | Yes (MS2) | No | Yes |
| Heimbuch | 2011 | USA | 1 | 1 | 2 (transmission mode) | 6 | No | No | Yes (H1N1) | No | Yes |
| Kumar | 2020 | Canada | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | No | No | Yes (SARS-CoV-2) | Yes | Yes |
| Lin | 2017 | Taiwan | – | 2 | – | 1 | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Lin | 2018 | Taiwan | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | No | No | Yes (Bacillus subtilis) | No | No |
| Lore | 2012 | USA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Yes | No | Yes (H5N1) | No | No |
| Viscusi | 2007 | USA | 2 | 4 | – | 1 | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Viscusi | 2009 | USA | 1 | 5 | – | 6 | Yes | Yes (MW only) | No | No | Yes |
| Viscusi | 2011 | USA | 1 | 1 | – | 6 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
MW, microwave.
a
Numbers of decontamination and inoculation conditions were determined by the authors of this systematic review. Distinct decontamination conditions were defined as any treatments with differing parameters (e.g., variable temperature or duration) excluding different numbers of cycles. Distinct inoculation conditions included the use of different inoculation media or variable modes of transmission (i.e. droplet versus aerosol).