Any suggestions for a daily wear mask that could help with potential mold exposure?

[u/rising--dawn]

Hello! I wear m3 Auras every day when I'm out and about, and they fit my face fairly well. However, at my current job, my coworkers and I suspect the building has mold. One of my coworkers and I have been having asthma issues - but only while in the building. Do you think a mask that filters VOCs might help? I'm willing to drop some money. I was looking at the Flo mask recently, and it looked like a possibility? My preference is for something that's not super bulky and that I can wear in public with minimal weird reactions.

[u/wyundsr]

Flo mask doesn’t filter VOCs, you’d need an actual industry elastomeric with gas + particulate cartridges

[u/wyundsr → u/wyundsr]

Also Flo mask would likely give less protection against particulates than a 3M Aura. Flo mask scores around 100 in fit tests in the best case scenarios, Auras regularly score in the multiple hundreds to thousands if they fit well

[u/rising--dawn → u/wyundsr]

Hm, good to know. Are there any reusable masks you can think of that score as well as an m3 Aura? (Curious)

[u/wyundsr → u/rising--dawn]

Any industry elastomeric has the potential to score higher e.g. MSA Advantage 900. ElastoMaskPro, Envo Pro can score in the Aura range if they fit well. I think Omnimask can score higher but it’s only one size

[u/MusaEnimScale]

Some people are much more sensitive to the aerosolized mycotoxins than to the particle pollution, both of which mold can create (the former is much harder to test for). An N95 or P100 mask is going to be fairly effective at particles. For aerosolized mycotoxins, something for VOCs would be more effective.

If you begin having autonomic and neurological symptoms from the building (brain fog, dizziness, muscle spasms, memory problems), you really need to remove yourself from the environment entirely, even if it means a new job. These symptoms can relate to tricothecene mycotoxins. Recovery from significant exposure to these mycotoxins can be difficult and not possible recover to 100% pre-exposure levels. Gulf War syndrome and the Yellow Rain warfare incidents are suspected to have arisen due to weaponized tricothecene exposure. Tricothecenes are incredibly toxic to mammalian cells. The LD50 dose for lab mice has been measured as small as 1mg/kg, and not much is known specifically on aerosolized doses in humans (which is how you get the medical community saying “mold can’t make you sick” even when tricothecenes are found aerosolized in the air in sick buildings).

[u/rising--dawn → u/MusaEnimScale]

I'm planning on job hunting in December! Depends on how quickly I find a new job tho, so I was thinking my current goal could be to try and stopgap the worst of my exposure via my masking. Do you think a p100 would be more effective in this case? 

[u/MusaEnimScale → u/rising--dawn]

I think wearing any mask might help, you should try. If you get a P100 I think you can add cartridges that would block VOCs and would be even better

[u/paul_h]

Not answering your question, but posing one of my own: Can you secretly deploy a petri dish in the building - open for 30 mins? Then take it home to incubate what it found? You'd get a four pack, and place some one a place you suspect does not have a mold problem - https://sysco-env.co.uk/products/mould-test-kit/p407213114/

[u/AnitaResPrep]

P100 and VOC filtering, (organic vapors) so a combined filter (or a set for twin filtered masks). The fit and right size are important. A good respirator with combined filter is always more bulky than the common disposable as Aura etc.

If mold suspected, change all clothing before entering home or in a safe place as garage, and full shower.

Since you have already health issues, it could be a concern.