Occupational Exposures to Halogenated Waste Anesthetic Gases in Healthcare Professionals

Details

• Personal Author:
  Lee, Eun Gyung ; Tomasi, Suzanne E. ; O'Connor, Allyson W. ; Lawless, Madison ; Eo, Yong-Sook
• Description:
  Waste anesthetic gases (WAGs) are anesthetic gases and vapors that are released or leaked into the surrounding environment during the delivery of anesthesia to patients and anesthesia recovery. In the last few decades, considerable efforts have been made to reduce WAG exposure for healthcare professionals who work in operating rooms (ORs) by using control measures such as scavenging systems and enhanced ventilation. Limited information is available regarding exposure assessment for healthcare workers in postanesthetic care units (PACUs) in hospitals. WAGs are associated with several adverse health effects, including reproductive-related health outcomes. However, previous studies have reported conflicting findings regarding the association between reproductive outcomes and WAG exposure. Before researching the associations between WAG exposures among PACU workers and health risks, it is essential to assess the current levels of exposure to WAGs in PACUs. This review paper describes the existing status of healthcare workers' exposure to WAGs in PACUs, discusses knowledge gaps, and provides recommendations on future research priorities.
• Subjects:
  Anesthetics, Inhalation Hazardous Substances Health Personnel Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Anesthesia; Waste Anesthetic Gases; Halogenated Compounds; Health Care Workers; Exposure Assessment; Operating Rooms; Reproductive Health; Author Keywords: Adverse Reproductive Outcomes; Halogenated Anesthetic Gases; Healthcare Workers; Postanesthetic Care Units; PACUs; Waste Anesthetic Gases; WAGs
• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  West Virginia ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  RHD - Respiratory Health Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  15 pdf pages
• Volume:
  22
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071106
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2025 Dec; 22(12):987-1000
• Email:
  dtq5@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2026
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:88a1bc4042a29f2a9be11fbe9d698627df405528e90873edb0f0c41cf38c832ace8ecb2bcc188d7ac5397e38cc14eb5aa257cc79175d2ae35296aa68771c0bb8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/257882/cdc_257882_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.44 MB ]