Subscribe now

Technology

The best pollution masks for cyclists block half of bad particles

By Douglas Heaven

27 November 2018

Cyclists with pollution masks

Some face masks can reduce exposure to air pollution

Beawiharta Beawiharta/Reuters

City air is a killer. Governments are trying to cut urban pollution by encouraging the use of bikes, but this exposes people who cycle to emissions from the cars of those who don’t. Are anti-pollution face masks the answer?

Fulvio Amato at the Institute of Environmental Research and Water Assessment in Barcelona and his colleagues have tested nine commercially available masks aimed at cyclists for filtering out air pollution. The best screened out nearly half of the most harmful tiny particles that cyclists breathe in.

Air pollution…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop