Open AccessImpact of negative pressure system on microbiological air quality in a Central Sterile Supply Department
Author(s) -
Almeida Alda Graciele Claudio dos Santos,
Bruna Camila Quartim de Moraes,
Moriya Giovana Abrahão de Araújo,
Navarini Alessandra,
Sasagawa Suzethe Matiko,
Mimica Lycia M. J.,
Gambale Valderez,
Graziano Kazuko Uchikawa
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of occupational health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 1348-9585
DOI - 10.1002/1348-9585.12234
Subject(s) - indoor bioaerosol , air quality index , medicine , environmental science , bioaerosol , contamination , occupational exposure , environmental health , air contamination , toxicology , waste management , environmental chemistry , meteorology , aerosol , biology , chemistry , ecology , engineering , physics
Objective Guidelines recommend that the cleaning area in a Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) maintain a negative pressure of the environmental air, but how much this system can impact the contamination of the air by bioaerosols in the area is not known. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of negative pressure on CSSD by evaluating the microbiological air quality of this sector. Methods Microbiological air samples were collected in two CSSD in the same hospital: one with and one without a negative air pressure system. Outdoor air samples were collected as a comparative control. Andersen six‐stage air sampler was used to obtain the microbiological air samples. Results The concentration of bioaerosols in the CSSD without negative pressure was 273.15 and 206.71 CFU/m 3 , while in the CSSD with negative pressure the concentration of bioaerosols was 116.96 CFU/m 3 and 131.10 CFU/m 3 . The number of isolated colonies in the negative pressure CSSD was significantly lower ( P = .01541). Conclusion The findings showed that the negative pressure system in the CSSD cleaning area contributed to the quantitative reduction in bioaerosols. However, the concentration of bioaerosols was lower than that established in the guideline for indoor air quality of many countries. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that CSSDs which do not have a negative pressure system in their cleaning area offer occupational risk.