Air quality in healthcare establishments is a real challenge. Pharmaceutical laboratories, pharmacies, dental practices, doctors’ surgeries and hospitals are all directly concerned. Chemical, physical and microbiological compounds degrade air quality in these places to varying degrees.
Let’s take a look at this problem and the solutions available.
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Air quality in healthcare facilities
Doctor’s surgeries, waiting rooms, pharmacies and hospitals are places through which many people and professionals pass. These places are often under-equipped with ventilation and air treatment equipment. As a result, pollutant concentrations are abnormally high, degrading air quality. Three main pollutants affect patients and staff.
Chemical air pollutants in healthcare facilities
In dental practices, mercury vapors, disinfectants and monomers are omnipresent. Formaldehyde, xylene and methanol are chemical pollutants resulting from the use of drugs and disinfectants in medical practices.
In pharmacies, these include alcohol vapors, acids, essential oils and chemicals. In hospitals, the pollutants are equally numerous: nitrous oxide, isoflurane, anesthetic vapors, operating fumes, disinfectants/sterilizers, drugs and devices containing phthalates.
Particulate air pollution in healthcare facilities
Physical pollutants also degrade air quality in healthcare facilities. These airborne pollutants are products of the materials used during treatment. In dental practices, these materials include metal, porcelain and ceramic particles. Particulate pollution in hospitals comes from plasters, resin prostheses and soda lime dust.
In all healthcare establishments, particulate pollution is also a medium for biological airborne contamination.
Biological air pollutants in healthcare facilities
In all healthcare establishments, microbiological contaminants are present in the healthcare environment and in interventional areas (hospitals). The risk of cross-contamination, for example, is very high in waiting rooms and auscultation cubicles. Viruses, bacteria, molds and airborne micro-organisms degrade air quality in healthcare establishments.
They carry a high risk of nosocomial illness. E. coli or Staphylococcus (bacteria) and Cladosporium (molds) are very present.
Solutions for improving air quality in healthcare facilities
Improving air quality in healthcare establishments reduces the risk of nosocomial infections. It also helps protect reception, medical and paramedical staff, as well as patients. To complement preventive measures and an air handling unit (AHU),the installation of professional mobile air purifiers is becoming increasingly widespread. There are three main types of device.
Professional air purifiers
Improving air quality in healthcare establishments is possible with these versatile devices. Whether ambient or at source, they capture dust, fine particles, chemical and biological pollutants. Some air purifiers with high-precision filters specifically treat viruses and bacteria.
Chemical pollution and odor destroyers
This professional equipment mainly targets gaseous pollutants. But they also eliminate particulate pollution, chemical pollution, odors and VOCs. The choice of source or ambient air treatment units makes it easy to integrate them into any type of healthcare facility.
Professional mobile dust collectors
Using suction arms, these devices capture dust generated by the use of medical and hospital care products (plasters, prostheses). They also remove ceramic and metal particles from the air in dental practices.
To find out more about indoor air quality, read our other articles.
