title: Suspended particle and drug ingredient concentrations in hospital dispensaries and implications for pharmacists' working environments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the present status of working environments for pharmacists, including the concentrations of suspended particles and suspended drug ingredients in dispensaries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a survey on the work processes and working environment in 15 hospital dispensaries, and measured the concentrations of suspended particles and suspended drug ingredients using digital dust counter and high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively. Of 25 types of powdered drugs that were frequently handled in the 15 dispensaries surveyed, 11 could be quantitatively determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The amounts of suspended particles were relatively high, but below the reference value, in three dispensaries without dust collectors. The sedative-hypnotic drug zopiclone was detected in the suspended particles at one dispensary that was not equipped with dust collectors, and the antipyretic and analgesic drug acetaminophen was detected in two dispensaries equipped with dust collectors. There was no correlation between the daily number of prescriptions containing powdered drugs and the concentration of suspended particles in dispensaries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of the suspended particle concentrations measured, we concluded that dust collectors were effective in these dispensaries. However, suspended drug ingredients were detected also in dispensaries with dust collectors. These results suggest that the drug dust control systems of individual dispensaries should be properly installed and managed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194, Japan. rinaba@gifu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194, Japan.|Clinical Division, Matsunami General Hospital, 185-1 Dendai, Kasamatsu-cho, Gifu, 501-6062, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hioki
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Gifu Research Center for Public Health, 4-6 Akebono-cho, Gifu, 500-8148, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Drug Informatics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007564:Japan; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D010595:Pharmacists; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Drug compounding; Drug ingredient; Hospital pharmacist; Occupational exposure; Suspended particle