UFG-Copper-Enabled Air Filters for Health Care Worker Protection

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brutlag A
• Description:
  Indoor air quality (IAQ) is extremely important in health care facilities. In such facilities, health care workers (HCW) are at a much greater risk of exposure to pathogenic airborne microbes than in typical indoor environments. In addition, many patients in hospitals or long term care facilities have compromised immune systems. As a result, airborne microbial contaminant concentrations that would normally be safe to an otherwise healthy individual can cause illness or infection. Through daily contact with immunocompromised patients, HCW are placed at an even higher risk of exposure to infectious agents. Thus, to achieve safe IAQ in health care environments, the reduction of microbial contaminants below normal ambient levels is required. While relatively large airborne particles may naturally settle out of the air, micron sized particles can remain airborne for several hours, and natural decay rates are far too slow to render infectious microbes non-contagious. This means that engineering controls are required to maintain high IAQ in healthcare facilities. HVAC units are critical for IAQ as they heat, cool and provide air circulation. Current antimicrobial solutions in HVAC systems include pressurization control, HEPA filters and UVGI. There are limitations, however, and much room for improvement. The development of a low-cost antimicrobial solution for incorporation into HVAC air filters would provide an effective way to limit the spread of biological air contaminants, decrease HVAC maintenance costs and improve IAQ. Integran USA has two technologies which may create such an antimicrobial filter solution: 1) the ability to coat low-cost polyurethane open-celled foams with nanocrystalline metal coatings (Nanometal foams), and 2) UFG-Cu, a natural, recyclable metal coating that exhibits excellent antimicrobial activity against all forms of microbes (including spores). In addition to its enhanced mechanical properties compared to conventional coarse-grained Cu, Integran USA's UFG-Cu also demonstrates excellent antimicrobial activity due to its ultra fine grain sizes. Reducing material grain size has been previously demonstrated to significantly enhance the efficacy of other known antimicrobial metals. For the Phase I of this project, Integran USA has successfully developed a process to create UFG-Copper enabled filters using electrodeposition on polymeric substrates. Final results show complete encapsulation of substrate ligaments, smooth and uniform deposit, and proposed hardness achieved. Studies were conducted to characterize thickness uniformity in terms of center to edge thickness ratio. Due to the electrodeposition process, materials tend to deposit less inside the sample than on the surface. The center to edge thickness ratio gives a way of characterizing how uniform the deposit is with respect to within foam samples for small scale (2" x 2") as well as large scale (12" x 12") with reasonable center to edge thickness ratio. These numbers range from 50% (for thick and dense samples) to close to 100% (for thin and porous samples). Cost market studies suggest a 400 times increase in value in using UFG-Cu enabled filters versus comparable conventional filters due to the reusable nature of Integran USA's filters. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Air Pollution, Indoor Communicable Diseases Copper Health Personnel Occupational Health Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Airborne Particles Air Filters Health Care Workers IAQ Indoor Air Quality Infection Prevention Infectious Agents Pathogens
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-29
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20056026
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2019-101114
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R43-OH-009929, 2012 May; :1-29
• CAS Registry Number:
  Copper (CAS RN 7440-50-8)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Performing Organization:
  Integran Technologies USA, Inc., Carlsbad, California
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20110901
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20120229
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a29b7b9d432df99ed5277b62dc32ecb7d1300f66bfcf74673e17f9b75bedef4eeda70df27b59db66facd9a69a9ca739f3777c5a687065c3f801ca8fa2dfe29f7
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218875/cdc_218875_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.77 MB ]