Biomaterial Database

Nitrous oxide exposure during routine anaesthetic work. Measurement of biologic exposure from urine samples and technical exposure by bag sampling. 1985

H Sonander, and O Stenqvist, and K Nilsson

Nitrous oxide exposure in a modern hospital during routine anaesthetic work was measured using a technical exposure measurement technique and compared to measurement of biologic exposure from urine samples. The study included different anaesthetic situations and also a study of the efficiency of close scavenging and general air-conditioning in reducing nitrous oxide exposure. Exposure to nitrous oxide varied greatly. The mean nitrous oxide exposure in the total material was 53 ppm corresponding to approximately half the Swedish control limit (100 ppm) for 8 h time-weighted average (TWA). The only anaesthetic situation regularly resulting in 8 h TWA exposure exceeding the control limit was paediatric anaesthesia (92 +/- 67 ppm, mean +/- s.d.). The use of close scavenging significantly reduced the 8 h TWA nitrous oxide exposure in paediatric anaesthesia. The reduction of exposure was not significant during other forms of anaesthesia where low levels were found when anaesthetic equipment with excess gas scavenging was used in theatres with non-recirculating air-conditioning. The correlation between conventional technical exposure measurement and urine headspace nitrous oxide measurement was good. Both theoretical arguments and practical experience indicate that this method can be used for assessing nitrous oxide exposure during routine anaesthetic work.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009609	Nitrous Oxide	Nitrogen oxide (N2O). A colorless, odorless gas that is used as an anesthetic and analgesic. High concentrations cause a narcotic effect and may replace oxygen, causing death by asphyxia. It is also used as a food aerosol in the preparation of whipping cream.	Laughing Gas,Nitrogen Protoxide,Gas, Laughing,Oxide, Nitrous
D009719	Nurse Anesthetists	Professional nurses who have completed postgraduate training in the administration of anesthetics.	Anesthetist, Nurse,Anesthetists, Nurse,Nurse Anesthetist
D004781	Environmental Exposure	The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents in the environment or to environmental factors that may include ionizing radiation, pathogenic organisms, or toxic chemicals.	Exposure, Environmental,Environmental Exposures,Exposures, Environmental
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000395	Air Pollutants, Occupational	Toxic air-borne matter related to work performed They are usually produced by the specific nature of the occupation.	Occupational Air Pollutants,Pollutants, Occupational Air
D000773	Anesthesia, Obstetrical	A variety of anesthetic methods such as EPIDURAL ANESTHESIA used to control the pain of childbirth.	Anesthesia, Gynecological,Anesthesia, Obstetric,Gynecologic Anesthesia,Paracervical Block,Anesthesia, Gynecologic,Block, Paracervical,Blocks, Paracervical,Gynecological Anesthesia,Obstetric Anesthesia,Obstetrical Anesthesia,Paracervical Blocks
D013048	Specimen Handling	Procedures for collecting, preserving, and transporting of specimens sufficiently stable to provide accurate and precise results suitable for clinical interpretation.	Specimen Collection,Collection, Specimen,Collections, Specimen,Handling, Specimen,Handlings, Specimen,Specimen Collections,Specimen Handlings
D014691	Ventilation	Supplying a building or house, their rooms and corridors, with fresh air. The controlling of the environment thus may be in public or domestic sites and in medical or non-medical locales. (From Dorland, 28th ed)	Ventilations