**6. Instrumentation**

The *measurements of aerosol particles* were conducted with SMPS (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer) 3934 consisting of CPC (Condensation Particle Counter) 3022 (working in low regime) and EC (Electrostatic Classifier) 3071 equipped with DMA (Differential Mobility Analyzer), probe 3081 and impactor 0.0457 cm. The measurements were conducted using the setup scanning interval of 5 minutes, which enabled collection of samples in the range from 14 nm to 740 nm.

*Aerosol particles* were collected by means of a personal cascade impactor (Sioutas 225-370). The personal cascade impactor consists of four impaction levels and a filter that enables sorting and sampling airborne particles in five size intervals. Samples were collected with the personal impactor which used the sampling device QuickTake30 at a specified constant flow rate.

Micro *aerosol particles* were measured in the range from 0.5 µm to 20 µm using APS (Aerodynamic Particle Sizer Spectrometer 3321 TSI USA).

*Measurements of FIT factors* of the protective respirators, device PortaCount Pro+ 8038 TSI, method MAZL – 40/11 (SÚJCHBO), OSHA 29CFR1910.134.

*Thermal analysis*, TG-DSC and TGA were measured with the device STAi 1500 made by Instrument Specialists Incorporated - THASS

*Infrared ATR spectrums (FTIR)* were measured with the spectrometer Nicolet 7600 (Thermo Nicolet Instruments Co., Madison, USA) with the detector DTGS and beam divider KBr. Parameters of the measurements: number of spectrum accumulations 128, resolution 2 cm-1. The measurements were conducted with an ATR cuvette Smart Orbit (Thermo Scientific) equipped with a diamond crystal.

*Microscope:* Microscope Olympus XI71 + CCD camera Olympus DP72 (Olympus Co., Japan) were used for magnification 200-600x.

*El. microscope*: made by FEI, model Quanta 450 FEG, high fiber method, ETD detector (secondary electrons) and BSE (back-scattered electrons).

Thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (GTA/DTA) was performed with STA; 1500 made by Instrument Specialists Incorporated – THASS.
