NEW TECHNOLOGIES   

Minerva Medica 2000 May-June;91(5-6):127-36

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Occupational exposure to glutaraldehyde following its use in chemical disinfection in endoscopy units

Apostoli P.

Background. To evaluate the air pollution experimentally produced by different solutions of glutaraldehyde due to the activity of chemical disinfection in a flexible endoscopy unit.Method. The glutaraldehyde environment concentrations due to the use of 3 solutions (2% solution and its 1:5 and 1:20 diluitions) were measured by liquid chromatography after sampling on specific cartridges and photoacustic method. Results. Only after the use of the most concentrated solution it was possible to detect glutaraldehyde in the environment air, with values between 0.2 and 0.3 mg/m3 and during specific activities such as after shaking the disinfecting solutions. Conclusions. When the usual preventive recommendations are respected, the use of 1:5 and 1:20 solution of 2% glutaraldehyde products does not produce air concentrations of the aldehyde exceeding the current, even restrictive, limits proposed by industrial hygienists.