Volume 7, Issue 1 (Spring 2020)
johe 2020, 7(1): 21-30 |
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Pourtaghi G H, Bahrami A, Shaban I, Taheri E, Pirmohamadi Z. Exposure risk assessment of formaldehyde in four military hospitals in Tehran. johe 2020; 7 (1) :21-30
URL: http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-567-en.html
URL: http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-567-en.html
Gholam Hossein Pourtaghi1 
, Abdulrahman Bahrami * 2, Iman Shaban3 , Elnaz Taheri4 , Zahra Pirmohamadi5
, Abdulrahman Bahrami * 2, Iman Shaban3 , Elnaz Taheri4 , Zahra Pirmohamadi5
1- Health Research Center, Lifestyle Research Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ,Bahrami@umsha.ac.ir
3- Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Health, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Public Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
5- Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
2- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ,
3- Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Health, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Public Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
5- Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
Abstract: (5104 Views)
Background and Objective: Formaldehyde is a hazardous compound used as a chemical preservative and disinfectant in medical laboratories and hospitals. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of occupational exposure to formaldehyde in different departments of educational hospitals of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on a total of 72 staff in different departments of four hospitals using the census method. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health method 3500 was used to determine the formaldehyde concentration in the air samples. The risk assessment was conducted using the proposed method of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Results: In this study, the time-weighted average of 8-hour exposure was determined within a range of 0.01-0.08 ppm. The obtained findings showed that the average estimated risk of cancer incidence varied from 1.4×10-4 to 30×10-4 for the staff of the studied hospitals and was higher than the recommended value (10-6) of the United States EPA. The average potential dose varied from 124-1149. Based on the obtained results, there was a significant difference between cancer risk and potential dose in different hospitals and departments. In addition, the maximum averages of carcinogenic risk and potential dose were 30 and 57.5 times higher than the definite risk and acceptable limit, respectively.
Conclusion: Due to the high risk of formaldehyde, it is required to take engineering and management control measures for the protection of the staff in hospitals.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on a total of 72 staff in different departments of four hospitals using the census method. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health method 3500 was used to determine the formaldehyde concentration in the air samples. The risk assessment was conducted using the proposed method of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Results: In this study, the time-weighted average of 8-hour exposure was determined within a range of 0.01-0.08 ppm. The obtained findings showed that the average estimated risk of cancer incidence varied from 1.4×10-4 to 30×10-4 for the staff of the studied hospitals and was higher than the recommended value (10-6) of the United States EPA. The average potential dose varied from 124-1149. Based on the obtained results, there was a significant difference between cancer risk and potential dose in different hospitals and departments. In addition, the maximum averages of carcinogenic risk and potential dose were 30 and 57.5 times higher than the definite risk and acceptable limit, respectively.
Conclusion: Due to the high risk of formaldehyde, it is required to take engineering and management control measures for the protection of the staff in hospitals.
Type of Study: Research Article |
Subject:
Chemical agents
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