Occupational Exposure to Aerosolized Drugs in Residential Environments: Physical Characterization (Simulation Study)

Details

• Personal Author:
  Benjamin M ; Elmashae Y ; Frank E ; Grinshpun SA ; Maier A ; Newman N ; Reponen T ; Yermakov M
• Description:
  Purpose: This study aimed at assessing the inhalation aerosol exposure of a home healthcare worker (HCW) treating a patient with aerosolized drugs using a nebulizer. The secondary goal was to determine whether NaCl can serve as a surrogate of aerosolized drugs to be used in future field studies. Background: Home-attending HCWs may be exposed to a wide range of hazardous aerosols, including pharmaceuticals that they administer to patients. For example, a nebulizer treatment can cause a greater exposure risk as compared to giving the same medication orally or intravenously. Inhalation exposure of home HCWs has not been quantified, and it is not clear if this exposure is significant. Methods: A two-manikin set-up was designed and built for this study with one manikin simulating a patient and the other simulating a HCW administering a medical nebulizer treatment. Four aerosolized drugs (Ipratropium Bromide, Budesonide, Albuterol Sulfate, and NaCl) were evaluated in individual trials. Each treatment was aerosolized from liquid suspension using a commercially available nebulizer-based aerosol delivery system in a small chamber housed inside a Biosafety Cabinet. Deionized water was used as a control. The aerosol concentration and particle size distribution were measured using an Electrical Low Pressure Impactor at three locations of the HCW-simulating manikin relative to the aerosol source. Results: The aerosol concentrations were significantly (up to four orders of magnitude, depending on the particle size) higher for each of the four medications compared to deionized water. The total aerosol concentration in the breathing zone exceeded 1 g/m3 in some cases suggesting a potential inhalation exposure risk to a HCW providing the treatment. There were no significant differences between the total mass concentrations of the three selected medications versus NaCl; therefore, NaCl could serve as a surrogate of common nebulizer-administered aerosolized drugs. Conclusions: The findings of this pilot study suggest that exposure of a HCW to aerosolized drugs may be significant and that NaCl can be used as a surrogate for medications administered by nebulization in future experiments. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Environmental Exposure Health Personnel Home Care Services Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety
• Keywords:
  Aerosol Particles Exposure Levels Health Care Workers Home Health Care Particle Size Particulates Simulation Methods Sodium Compounds
• Publisher:
  University of Cincinnati
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20052433
• Citation:
  18th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium, University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center, October 5-6, 2017, Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati, 2017 Oct; :1
• Email:
  grinshs@ucmail.uc.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Sodium chloride (CAS RN 7647-14-5)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  18th Annual Pilot Research Project Symposium, University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center, October 5-6, 2017, Cincinnati, Ohio
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:adadcce50f2b171252c18671ddf275e994910a408fe158d3b27746d48e8a9ee7552e5517b6677484348a8c12ad4af662504c33ddccc99f364668e9ca61fb5b55
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/211959/cdc_211959_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 141.55 KB ]