Certification of IAQ in Bone Marrow Transplant Patient Ward

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) is renovating much of the facility, including the construction of a new Bone Marrow Transplant Patient Ward (BMT). Single pass air is drawn in through HEPA filters on the roof and then though a second set of HEPA filters just prior to individual BMT patient rooms, which are maintained under positive air pressures. A certification program was designed to evaluate the indoor air quality (IAQ) in each of the patient rooms, consisting of cumulative particle counts at 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 microns, using a handheld particle counter. Viable and nonviable mold spores were collected using Air-O-Cell® sampling cassettes. Bacteria were collected on 150-mm petri dishes with TSA 5%SB agar using an Anderson bioaerosol sampler. The mold spores and bacteria were identified and counted by accredited laboratories.

The certification testing indicated the BMT patient rooms in “as-built” condition complied with ISO 14644-1 cleanroom particle levels. Particle removals for 0.3 microns and greater, compared to the outside air, were in excess of 99.9%. Mold spores were measured from non-detect to 4 spores/m3. Bacteria were measured from non-detect to 4 CFUs/m3. The BMT test results, when compared to other areas in the hospital, indicated the particle counts and mold spore concentrations were significantly lower.

Paper from IAQ 2004 -- Critical Operations: Supporting the Healing Environment Through IAQ Performance Standards

Units: Dual