Assessment of Indoor Environmental Quality and Performance of Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems in Anatomy Laboratory
Keywords:
Indoor air quality, local exhaust ventilation, anatomy laboratoryAbstract
An anatomy laboratory is an area where various chemicals and pollutant sources are present, particularly formaldehyde, particulate matter, and airborne microorganisms, which may adversely affect the health and safety of workers if the ventilation system and indoor environmental conditions are inadequate. This study aimed to evaluate indoor environmental quality, assess the performance of local exhaust ventilation systems, and investigate the relationship between indoor environmental quality and ventilation system performance in an anatomy laboratory. A cross- sectional descriptive study was conducted from August to November 2025 over a four-month period. Indoor air quality parameters and ventilation system performance were measured using industrial hygiene instruments. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The results showed that illumination levels were mostly within standard limits, while airborne fungal concentrations and fine particulate matter levels were generally within acceptable ranges, although some sampling locations exceeded the fungal standard limits. However, formaldehyde concentrations in most areas exceeded the recommended standard values. In addition, temperature at some monitoring locations (17 out of 56 points), as well as relative humidity and air velocity at several locations, were outside acceptable ranges. The performance of local exhaust ventilation systems was also found to be below the designed criteria in most areas. No statistically significant relationship was found between indoor environmental quality and ventilation system performance at the 0.05 significance level. These findings may serve as baseline information for improving environmental conditions and ventilation system performance to enhance safety and operational efficiency in anatomy laboratories.
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