Personal exposure level and environmental ethylene oxide gas concentration in sterilization facilities of hospitals in Japan.

Personal and environmental (stationary) ethylene oxide (EO) gas concentrations in gas sterilization facilities were measured at six workplaces in five hospitals. An ethylene oxide gas monitor (3M #3551) was used for both personal and stationary samplings. A gas detector tube was also used for instantaneous sampling. In most workplaces, the personal exposure levels of EO were below the detection limit of the gas monitor. Most of the time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations by the stationary sampling were below the threshold limit value of EO (TLV-TWA = 1 ppm), but in one workplace, more than 4 ppm of EO were detected in front of the sterilizer in a clean room during a 24-hour measurement, although all the personal exposure levels were below the detection limit. Method of aeration after the sterilization was very important for reducing the EO exposure. The EO gas concentrations in two workplaces where sufficient aeration was carried out were below the detection limit in all the stationary samples. In one workplace where insufficient aeration was performed, EO was detected from 16 of 17 stationary samples, and more than 90-200 ppm of EO was determined by the gas detector tube near the worker's face at the moment when the door of the sterilizer was opened and the sterilized materials were removed.