Antistatic treatment for reducing airborne contamination of insulating materials in intensive care.

In an effort to reduce airborne contamination by Staphylococcus epidermidis harboured on emitted skin scales, items used in patient care were studied as regards bacterial contamination and electrical resistance. An alcoholic benzalkonium chloride sodium was used to coat stopcocks, latex drains, silicon drains and plastic covering. Static electricity did not accumulate when the insulating resistance was less than 10(9) to 10(10) ohms. Study items not treated with the antistatic solution had resistances of greater than 2 x 10(12) ohms, which decreased to 2 x 10(6) to 8 x 10(10) ohms following antistatic treatment. The resistance of the silicon drain before and after antistatic exposure remained unchanged; an increase in its weight after treatment suggests absorption rather than the solution adhering to its surface. Statistically significantly lowered aerobic bacterial colony counts occurred from study items antistatistically treated as compared to those items left untreated. The coating of an entire room and its metal contents failed to decrease bacterial contamination. The results suggest that coating of insulating objects with an antistatic solution will reduce electrical resistance and thereby airborne bacterial contamination.