Titanium dioxide particles frequently present in face masks

Titanium dioxide is a white pigment. It is very common - and used in two thirds of pigments.

It's also used in almost anything else colored in your life... I don't know why this paper would target face masks specifically apart to get more press interest.

Because they go on your breathing hole.

It's a standard ingredient in toothpaste.

This confirms a long-held fear of mine.

I wasn't sure what exactly it might be... but I was always concerned with these face masks breaking down over time and forcing me to inhale... something...

Turns out what we're inhaling is far worse than I imagined. I thought maybe some plastic fibers or something like that... not a known carcinogen.

I'd like to know how the quantity of particles compares to titanium dioxide from paint in a typical house before I panic.

I liked when they said the benefits of face masks for Covid19 are "unquestionable". How very scientific

Just because there is a downside doesn't mean the benefits aren't still unquestionable.

Which brand masks were tested? They're labeled in the paper Mask1, Mask2, etc

The brands are obscured, but there are images in the supplementary documents. https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs415...