The Development of Germicidal Air Purifier by Employing Ultraviolet System in Controlling Airborne Bacteria

The nosocomial infection could be acquired through airborne disease in the hospital. However, only a particular health center in Indonesia carried out a complete, cautious prevention procedure by utilizing air purifiers due to cost problems. Thus, to minimize the number of nosocomial infections related to bacterial air pollutants, excellent tools with low cost are required to address this problem. We developed an ultraviolet light system within the air purifier at a low cost and the best way to eradicate pathogenic microorganisms in the healthcare center. The study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung in 2009–2010. The room prototype was built from a transparent glass material with two holes at the upper corner as an inlet and outlet pipeline canal. In the middle of the pipeline circulation, a vacuum pump, ultraviolet system, and a cooler were installed so the air will initially flow through those devices before being re-circulated into the room through the pipeline's inlet hole. A fan was set on the room floor, and several ten-centimeter apart, Petri dishes containing microbial growth medium were placed. The microbial colonies from the room with and without the installed ultraviolet system in the air purifier were then compared for analysis. The result showed that an air purifier equipped with an ultraviolet system killed microorganisms 73% more effective than the air purifier without an ultraviolet system (p<0.05). In conclusion, employing an ultraviolet system within the air purifier might be effectively killed microorganisms and ultimately reduce nosocomial infection.   PENGEMBANGAN AIR PURIFIER RUANGAN DENGAN PEMANFAATAN SINAR ULTRAVIOLET UNTUK MEMBUNUH MIKROB BAWAAN UDARA Infeksi nosokomial dapat ditularkan melalui penyakit yang ditularkan melalui udara di rumah sakit. Namun, hanya rumah sakit atau pelayanan kesehatan tertentu di Indonesia yang melakukan prosedur pencegahan infeksi nosokomial secara optimal dengan memanfaatkan air purifier karena kendala biaya. Oleh sebab itu, untuk meminimalkan jumlah infeksi nosokomial yang terkait dengan bakteri pencemar udara diperlukan pengembangan air purifier yang baik dengan biaya yang murah. Kami telah mengembangkan sistem pembersih udara yang terintegrasi sinar ultraviolet dengan biaya rendah untuk mengurangi mikroorganisme patogen di ruang pelayanan kesehatan. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Fakultas Kedokteran, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung pada tahun 2009–2010. Prototipe ruangan dibuat dari bahan kaca transparan dengan dua lubang di sudut atas sebagai ruang instalasi pipa saluran masuk dan keluar. Pada bagian tengah sirkulasi pipa dipasang pompa vakum, sistem ultraviolet, dan pendingin sehingga udara akan mengalir melewati alat-alat tersebut sebelum disirkulasikan kembali ke dalam ruangan melalui lubang masuk pipa. Sebuah kipas dipasang pada prototipe ruangan dan setiap jarak sepuluh sentimeter ditempatkan cawan Petri yang berisi media pertumbuhan mikrob. Koloni mikrob dari ruangan model dengan dan tanpa sistem ultraviolet yang terpasang di air purifier, kemudian dibandingkan untuk dianalisis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa air purifier yang dilengkapi sistem ultraviolet membunuh mikroorganisme 73% lebih efektif daripada air purifier tanpa sistem ultraviolet (p<0,05). Simpulan, penggunaan sistem ultraviolet dalam air purifier efektif membunuh mikroorganisme dan pada akhirnya dapat mengurangi infeksi nosokomial

Chronic Effect Analysis of Mercury Exposure on Communities Around Small Scale Gold Mining in Indonesia Using Human Biomonitoring (HBM) Method

In general, small-scale gold mining activities that are spread throughout Indonesia practicing amalgamation technique. The amalgamation process in the mining activities can result in environmental degradation due to tailing waste containing mercury that are discharged into the environment and will distributed and bioaccumulated through food chain. Mercury exposure to human can give a chronic effect. Measuring mercury concentration in biomarkers such as nail and hair is a method to indicate the mercury poisoning level. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze mercury concentrations in nail and hair as chronic exposure biomarkers. Besides, we also conducted Human Biomonitoring (HBM) analysis to assess mercury intoxication in the communities. Moreover, we analyzed mercury concentrations in water, rice, fish, and food crops samples to understand their association with mercury concentrations in nail and hair through a Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) analysis. This research was conducted in 4 districts in Indonesia which has a significant number of small-scale gold mining activities. The results showed that the maximum concentration of T-Hg in the nail and hair of the workers was 58.48 µg/g and 55.97 µg/g, respectively. Based on HBM analysis, in several districts, more than 60% of the workers has been intoxicated by mercury. Meanwhile, Average Daily Intake (ADI) and PTWI were significantly correlated with concentration mercury in the nail and hair. Mercury concentrations in worker’s hair was significantly correlated with working experience. We identified that the age and residence duration were the major predictor of concentration mercury in nail and hair, respectively