Portable HEPA filtration successfully augments natural-ventilation-mediated airborne particle clearance in a legacy design hospital ward. (January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fennelly, M.; Hellebust, S.; Wenger, J.; O'Connor, D.; Griffith, G.W.; Plant, B.J.; Prentice, M.B.
• Is Part Of: Journal of hospital infection. Volume 131(2023)
• Page Start: 54
• Page End: 57
• Publication Date: 2023-01
• Subjects: Airborne -- Environment -- Filtration -- HEPA -- Continuous monitoring -- Low-cost sensors; Cross infection -- Periodicals; Cross infection -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Nosocomial infections -- Periodicals; Nosocomial infections -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Cross Infection -- Periodicals; Cross Infection -- prevention & control -- Periodicals; Infection Control -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 614.44
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.09.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0195-6701

Abstract

Summary: As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 pandemic has proceeded, ventilation has been recognized increasingly as an important tool in infection control. Many hospitals in Ireland and the UK do not have mechanical ventilation and depend on natural ventilation. The effectiveness of natural ventilation varies with atmospheric conditions and building design. In a challenge test of a legacy design ward, this study showed that portable air filtration significantly increased the clearance of pollutant aerosols of respirable size compared with natural ventilation, and reduced spatial variation in particle persistence. A combination of natural ventilation and portable air filtration is significantly more effective for particle clearance than either intervention alone.