Buildings (Jul 2024)
CO<sub>2</sub> Concentration Assessment for Infection Monitoring and Occupancy Analysis in Tanzanian COVID-19 Isolation Centers
Abstract
Monitoring of IAQ is one of the foundations of the preventative actions prompted by the worldwide recognition of COVID-19 transmission. The measurement of CO2 has emerged as one of the most popular, dependable, and easy ways to indirectly evaluate the state of indoor air renewal. Reducing the risk of respiratory diseases transmitted by aerosols is attainable through implementing and validating prevention measures made possible by CO2 control. Isolation centers are like health facilities in that they are linked to IAQ, and the presence of natural ventilation can significantly improve the circulation of fresh air, which speeds up the removal of contaminants. This is true even though healthcare facilities are among the environments with the highest rate of COVID-19 propagation. Our investigation revealed, however, that no substantial critical data on air quality in Tanzanian isolation centers is presently available. The process of metabolic CO₂ creation and accumulation within health isolation center cubicles was investigated in this study. Crucially, we suggest comparing settings under various conditions using the indicator ppm/patient. In this research, we experimentally assessed the value of changing a few HVAC system characteristics. We looked at the data to see how well the filtration system worked concerning the submicron particle concentration. Study recommendations for CO2 detectors and ways to reduce infection risk in shared isolation center cubicles are provided. We also show the correlation between particle size and CO2 concentration, the correlation between CO2 concentration derivatives and air volume presented per patient in isolation cubicles, the correlation between patient occupancy and CO2 concentration levels in isolation cubicles, and how to improve air quality by adjusting the patient’s bed position. The study also found that for exposure lengths of two to three hours, a typical hospital cubicle with fifty to one hundred people should have an average interior CO₂ value of less than 900 ppm. Carers’ length of stay in the hospital substantially impacted the permissible CO2 concentration. By establishing a connection between indoor air monitoring and healthcare goals, this study will aid in determining the feasibility of establishing regulations for interior CO2 content depending on occupancy settings, strengthening preventive efforts against COVID-19. In the post-pandemic era, it will be essential to find ways to make health facilities air cleaner so that infectious diseases cannot spread in the future.
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