The fact that personal protective equipment is in short supply is well known. The national stockpile was nearly empty as of April 1, and states have been sourcing their own supplies.
[Image: courtesy Sum Studio]The N95 shortage, in particular, is partly due to one key material in the masks: its polymer-based filter, made of artificial nonwoven plastic fibers. So two designers developed a prototype for an alternative that offers a radical, more sustainable approach to the PPE supply chain. It’s not there yet—but they’re getting close.
Garrett Benisch and Elizabeth Bridges of Sum Studio created a mask, called the “Xylinum mask,” out of bacterial cellulose, a by-product of a common bacteria called xylinum acetobacter. According to Benisch and Bridges, you can grow the bacteria with a few simple ingredients in your kitchen: water, tea, sugar, and a small bacterial sample of xylinum acetobacter. That last ingredient might sound intimidating, but it’s easy to find: simply use unflavored kombucha.
While the biomask is an intriguing idea, it’s important to note that at this point, it’s entirely speculative and hasn’t been tested in any capacity. “The prototype mask and the science referenced is coupled together to show that biodesign has real potential for rapid innovation and impact,” said Benisch.
As the bacteria multiplies, it creates a flat cellulose sheet on the surface of the liquid it’s living on. But there’s more than meets the eye: If you look at that sheet under a microscope, you’ll see a tight knit of cellulose fibers that virus particles will have to work their way through. (Here’s a step-by-step guide.)
“The purpose of this project was not to develop and distribute masks, but to ask whether or not we’d be in such short supply of PPE if we had invested in biomaterials to the extent that we’ve invested in synthetics,” said Benisch. Citing the endless use of petroleum plastic and burning of fossil fuels, Benisch and Bridges suggest that bio-manufacturing points to a new means of production—one that individuals have more control over, and one that has more long-term potential.