AN ASSESSMENT OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PARTICULATE MATTERS CONCENTRATIONS AT TWO HOSPITALS IN KASHAN, IRAN

Indoor air quality has gained great attention, mainly due to the large amount of time which people spend indoors. The complex hospital environment requires a special attention to ensure healthful indoor air quality to protect patients and healthcare workers against hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections and occupational diseases. Since a few studies have been done in this area, therefore the aim of the study is to determine the respirable particles concentrations in the indoor and outdoor air at two hospitals in Kashan. Indoor and outdoor PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were measured using a real time dust monitor during 3 months in the operating room, children, and ICU's wards. The collected data were then analyzed using SPSS version 16 and Excel version 2010. The results showed a significant relationship between PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in the indoor and outdoor air at two hospitals (P=.05). PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were different in all of the studied wards (P=.05). The highest average PM10 was in the children's ward in one of the hospitals. Accordingly the respirable particles concentration were higher than WHO guideline in the indoor and outdoor air in the both of hospitals, So utilizing sufficient and efficient ventilation systems within the hospitals would can be useful in being better indoor air quality and reducing the respirable particulates matter concentration.