Studying Gas Mask Filters So People Can Breathe Easier
(World News Science)

Berkeley Lab scientists are using powerful X-rays at the Advanced Light Source to study how gas mask filters handle chemical warfare agents. The work could eventually lead to more advanced gas masks for both military and civilian applications. (Video credit: Marilyn Chung/UC Berkeley) In research that could lead to better gas mask filters, scientists at the Department of Energy`s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have been putting the X-ray spotlight on composite materials in respirators used by the military, police, and first responders, and the results have been encouraging. What they are learning not only provides reassuring news about the effectiveness of current...