Background: To evaluate the air pollution in operating theatres of a Sicily Hospital produced by 2% alkaline solutions of glutaraldehyde, which is used to disinfect flexible endoscopy units, filling tanks and cleaning surfaces. Personnel reported subjective symptoms as: headache, dizziness, anxiety, drowsiness on the job, loss of attention, irritation of the skin and respiratory tract.
Methods: Environmental valuation of glutaraldehyde was made by infrared photoacustic spectroscopy.
Results: The final results is not very comforting infact we found value of glutaraldehyde which exceeded the upper limit value (0.05 ppm) due to behavioral rules, to not well ventilated workplaces and to not automated washing units.