|
KMID : 0895420090190030195
|
|
Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Enviromental Hygiene
2009 Volume.19 No. 3 p.195 ~ p.201
|
|
|
A Study on exposure-Worker to Formaldehyde in the Endoscopy Unit of Hospitals
|
|
Kim Jeong-Hun
Kim Dae-Jong
Kim Hyun-Wook
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
To identify relationship between the airborne concentrations of formaldehyde and the causal factors in the endoscope unit of hospitals, a total of 48 workers selected from 4 hospitals (3 university hospitals and 1 national hospital) were investigated. Airborne formaldehyde samples were collected using passive samplers and subsequently analyzed by HPLC according to the OSHA method 1007. The geometric mean(GM) of airborne formaldehyde concentrations was 0.056 ppm (range: 0.003~0.923 ppm). The rates of exceeding exposure limits of OSHA PEL-TWA and NIOSH REL-TWA were 4.2 % and 83.3%, respectively. The STEL GM concentration was 1.428 ppm(range: 0.103~14.773 ppm). Ventilation condition (p=0.001) and temperature (p=0.017) were statistically significant causal factors for the airborne exposure concentration of formaldehyde in the endoscope unit of hospitals. In conclusion, the workers in the endoscope unit of hospitals were highly exposed to formaldehyde, and adequate controls such as appropriate management of ventilation and temperature are recommended to reduce over exposure to formaldehyde.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Formaldehyde, Endoscopy Unit, Environmental conditions, Hospitals
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|