Addition of PAC with HEPA filter may prevent COVID-19 spread in dental clinics: Study
Written By : Dr. Nandita Mohan
Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2021-02-03 15:06 GMT | Update On 2021-02-04 08:02 GMT
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Researchers from the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA have said that aerosol accumulation may occur in dental treatment rooms with poor ventilation. Addition of portable air cleaner (PAC) with a HEPA filter will significantly reduce the aerosol accumulation and accelerated aerosol removal, as documented in the recent study published in the Journal of Dentistry.
Yan-Fang Ren and colleagues, therefore conducted the study to evaluate the mechanical ventilation rates of dental treatment rooms and assess the effectiveness of aerosol removal by mechanical ventilation and a portable air cleaner (PAC) with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.
Volumetric airflow was measured to assess air change rate per hour by ventilation (ACHvent). Equivalent ventilation provided by the PAC (ACHpac) was calculated based on its clean air delivery rate. Concentrations of 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 μm aerosol particles were measured in 10 dental treatment rooms with various ventilation rates at baseline, after 5-min of incense burn, and after 30-min of observation with and without the PAC or ventilation system in operation.
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