Environmental air pollution in an intensive care unit for nephrology and dialysis

The quality of indoor air depends on external pollutant concentrations and on internal sources, such as heating and air conditioning systems, building materials, ventilation, cleaning products, personnel and their activity. T his study assessed environmental air pollution in an intensive care unit (I CU) for nephrology and dialysis. Air-disperssed particulate pollution was m easured using a gravimetric method and spectroscopic photocorrelation. Micr obiological pollution was evaluated by passive and active collection. Particulate concentrations exceeded recommended limits in some of the envir onments. There was a prevalence of small particulates, which are the most h armful type of all. An overall evaluation of bacterial pollution showed low levels of contamination in some of the rooms. In none of the environments we were able to detect pathogens such as Aspergillus fumigatus, methycillin -resistant Staphylococci or toxin-producing fungi.