Indoor air quality in healthcare: Evaluating the risks of nitrogen and sulfur oxides in dental practices

IF 3.7 2区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Atmospheric Environment Pub Date : 2025-09-15 DOI:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121551

Naseem Akhtar , Arifa Tahir , Zain Gulzar , Abdul Qadir , Baseer Ahmed , Iqra Nasim

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess indoor NO₂ and SO₂ levels in selected clinical and hospital dental units, identify sources linked to dental activities, and evaluate site and health risks from these gaseous oxides for students, professionals and patients, including immunocompromised.

Method

Ten different hospitals and clinical dental units were selected for this assessment.

Key findings

Annual average of 14.5 ± 4.6 μg/m³ of NO₂ and 8.0 ± 1.7 μg/m³ of SO₂ were recorded. A significant difference (<0.05) in NO₂ and SO₂ levels was found, while non-significant differences (>0.05) were observed between hospital and clinical units. Winter was more polluted due to higher gas levels, while spring was cleaner. Dunn's test showed a significant seasonal trend. Regression analysis revealed a robust (R² = 0.9) to moderately strong (R² = 0.6) correlation between the concentration of NO₂ and SO₂ except during winter (R² = 0.4). The highest levels of nitrogen oxides were found during anesthesia performance, and higher sulfur oxides were observed during dental implantation and impression performance. Negligible site risk was found except during winter. Indvisual HQ-SO₂ and HQ-NO₂ did not present significant health risks to dentists except for HQ-NO₂ to immunocompromised adult patients. Synergistic ΣHQ posed a significant HQ risk to immunocompromised patients at most dental units, but to adults at a few clinical sites.

Conclusion

Indoor and outdoor sources of pollutants should be closely monitored and controlled for patient safety and long-term exposure to dentists. Improve winter ventilation and use of high-evacuation system during high-exposure procedures, ensuring temperature and relative humidity are controlled.

查看原文本刊更多论文

医疗保健中的室内空气质量：评估牙科诊所中氮和硫氧化物的风险

本研究旨在评估选定临床和医院牙科单位的室内NO2和SO2水平，确定与牙科活动相关的来源，并评估这些气态氧化物对学生、专业人员和患者的场所和健康风险，包括免疫功能低下。方法选择10家不同医院和临床牙科单位进行评价。年平均NO2浓度为14.5±4.6 μg/m3， SO2浓度为8.0±1.7 μg/m3。NO2和SO2水平在医院和临床单位之间差异无统计学意义（>0.05），而在医院和临床单位之间差异无统计学意义（>0.05）。由于气体含量较高，冬季污染更严重，而春季则更干净。邓恩的测试显示出明显的季节性趋势。回归分析显示，除冬季（R2 = 0.4）外，NO2浓度与SO2浓度之间存在显著（R2 = 0.9）至中强（R2 = 0.6）的相关性。在麻醉过程中发现了最高水平的氮氧化物，而在种植和印模过程中观察到较高的硫氧化物。除冬季外，现场风险可忽略不计。单独的红旗so2和红旗no2对牙医没有显著的健康风险，除了红旗no2对免疫功能低下的成人患者。协同ΣHQ对大多数牙科单位的免疫功能低下患者构成显著的HQ风险，但对少数临床站点的成人。结论应密切监测和控制室内和室外的污染物来源，以确保患者的安全，避免长期暴露于牙医。改善冬季通风，在高暴露过程中使用高疏散系统，确保温度和相对湿度得到控制。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Atmospheric Environment 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

9.40

自引率

8.00%

发文量

458

审稿时长

53 days

期刊介绍： Atmospheric Environment has an open access mirror journal Atmospheric Environment: X, sharing the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review. Atmospheric Environment is the international journal for scientists in different disciplines related to atmospheric composition and its impacts. The journal publishes scientific articles with atmospheric relevance of emissions and depositions of gaseous and particulate compounds, chemical processes and physical effects in the atmosphere, as well as impacts of the changing atmospheric composition on human health, air quality, climate change, and ecosystems.