Chemical and Microbial Contaminants of Medical Air in Healthcare Institutions – Year two

Medical air is commonly used in healthcare institutions as a life support drug distributed to patients. This medical air is often produced on site through devices which draw, compress and filter outside air in order to redirect it into buildings. However, depending on the outdoor conditions, the state of the ventilation system or the presence of microorganisms, this air can be altered. We propose a multi-disciplinary, cross-sector approach leveraging expertise from the academic fields of engineering and microbiology in collaboration with Air Liquide to characterize the extent of any contamination present, knowledge needed to ultimately help shape programs to develop and evaluate mitigation strategies. This work will provide significant insights into potential patient exposure to chemical and microbial contamination of medical air with implications for patient outcomes. It will also help Air Liquide to improve their service offer, the quality of their product and upgrade their filtration protocols.

Faculty Supervisor:

Samira Mubareka

Student:

Nicolas Groulx

Partner:

Air Liquide Healthcare

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

Program: