Determination of selected pollutants and measurement of physical parameters for the evaluation of indoor air quality in school buildings in Athens, Greece

The objectives of this paper were to characterise the indoor air quality in 20 naturally ventilated classrooms at 10 different public schools in Athens, to compare the measured concentrations with the established standards and to propose measures to improve air quality. Carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), and formaldehyde were determined simultaneously and temperature, relative humidity and noise were measured. Temperature and relative humidity were within 'comfort ranges' in almost all classrooms. The noise level was too high both in classrooms (61 dBA) and out- doors (77 dBA). CO2 concentrations exceeded 1,800 mg·m-3, suggesting inadequate ventilation in 75% of classrooms, CO and NO2 were at levels that posed no health threats. TVOC concentrations were found to be <1 mg·m-3, except in renovated buildings, and formaldehyde levels were >0.1 mg·m-3 in 92% of classrooms. Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

An investigation of the effect of prolonged glove wearing on the hand skin health of dental healthcare workers

Objectives. Glove wearing during patient treatment has been central to dental surgery infection control for over 15 years. However, little is known about the cutaneous effects of glove wearing on the hands of dental healthcare workers (DHCWs). The objective of this project was to assess the hand skin health of DHCWs before and after wearing gloves of two types and to compare this with a control group of non-DHCWs.Methods. Following a mailing to all dentists in the West of Scotland, 50 DHCWs who wore gloves during dental treatment procedures for a minimum of 8 h daily for at least 4 days per week were invited to participate in the project. The control group comprised 25 subjects who did not routinely use surgical or examination gloves. Hands were assessed by clinical examination and by transepidermal water loss at baseline, 1 month and 3 months. Results. Of the 50 DHCWs, 26 wore a non-powdered latex glove (Microtouch Powder-free: Johnson and Johnson, Arligton, TX, US), and 24 wore a nitrile glove (Hartalega SDN BHD, Malaysia) from the time of the baseline examination until the 3-month examination. No differences were observed in hand skin health between the control group and the DHCWs at baseline, nor between those wearing the latex or nitrile gloves during the 3 month period of the study. Conclusion. It is concluded that the hand skin health of the DHCWs examined were no different from those of a control group of non-DHCWs, and that the wearing of the two types of gloves used in the 3 month study had no significant effect