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J Breath Res

Title:		Breath gas concentrations mirror exposure to sevoflurane and isopropyl alcohol in hospital environments in non-occupational conditions
Author(s):		Castellanos M; Xifra G; Fernandez-Real JM; Sanchez JM;
Address:		"Servicio de Neurologia, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruna (CHUAC), A Coruna, Spain"
Journal Title:		J Breath Res
Year:		2016
Volume:		20160129
Issue:		1
Page Number:		16001 -
DOI:		10.1088/1752-7155/10/1/016001
ISSN/ISBN:		1752-7163 (Electronic) 1752-7155 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Anaesthetic gases and disinfectants are a primary source of air contamination in hospitals. A highly sensitive sorbent-trap methodology has been used to analyse exhaled breath samples with detection limits in the pptv range, which allows volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to be detected at significantly lower levels (5-6 orders of magnitude below) than the recommended exposure limits by different organizations. Two common VOCs used in hospital environments, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and sevoflurane, have been evaluated. Forced-expiratory breath samples were obtained from 100 volunteers (24 hospital staff, 45 hospital visitors and 31 external controls). Significant differences for IPA were found between samples from volunteers who had not been in contact with hospital environments (mean value of 8.032 ppbv) and people staying (20.981 ppbv, p = 0.0002) or working (19.457 ppbv, p = 0.000 09) in such an environment. Sevoflurane, an anaesthetic gas routinely used as an inhaled anaesthetic, was detected in all samples from volunteers in the hospital environment but not in volunteers who had not been in recent contact with a hospital environment. The levels of sevoflurane were significantly higher (p = 0.000 24) among staff members (0.522 ppbv) than among visitors to the hospital (0.196 ppbv). We conclude that highly sensitive methods are required to detect anaesthetic gas contamination in hospital environments"
Keywords:		"2-Propanol/*analysis Adult Air Pollutants, Occupational/*analysis Anesthetics, Inhalation/*analysis Body Fluids/chemistry Breath Tests/methods Exhalation Female Humans Male Methyl Ethers/*analysis Middle Aged Sevoflurane Volatile Organic Compounds/*analys;"
Notes:		"MedlineCastellanos, Mar Xifra, Gemma Fernandez-Real, Jose Manuel Sanchez, Juan M eng England 2016/01/30 J Breath Res. 2016 Jan 29; 10(1):016001. doi: 10.1088/1752-7155/10/1/016001"