title: Benzene and toluene concentrations in a hemodialysis room in a medium sized South Korean city.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study was designed to determine whether the indoor air pollution in a hemodialysis room (HD) was different from that of other comparable areas in a hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five air monitor samplers were hung on the ceiling and placed on the table in both the HD and general ward nursing stations, respectively. In addition, five samplers were placed in the nurse's breathing zone of the HD and the general ward, respectively. Ten air monitor samplers were also placed on the edge of the bed in the HD, which represented the patient's breathing zone. The levels of benzene and toluene were analyzed by GC/MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the general ward, the toluene concentration was significantly higher in the nurse breathing zone than that for the ceiling or table samples (p=0.001). The benzene concentration was also significantly higher in the general ward nurse breathing zone than that in the HD (p=0.006). In addition, the benzene concentrations on the table were higher at the general ward as compared to the HD (p=0.028), but there was no significant difference between the ceiling, general ward station and HD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the benzene and toluene concentrations in the HD appear to be more affected by the outdoor atmospheric conditions than by any potential indoor internal sources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Medical College, Cheonan Hospital 23-30, Bongmyung-dong, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon-Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Joong-Rock
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Hyo-Wook
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Jong-Oh
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Eun-Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sae-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yong-Taek
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Bu-Soon
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012449:Safety; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene
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