PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH A HYDROCLAVE CYCLE AT KINGSTON GENERAL HOSPITAL
CONDUCTED BY: Tom Beardall
ON: 1988.11.17
REQUESTED BY: Richard Vanderwal
Hydroclave System Corp.

1. At the request of Hydroclave Systems Corporation, a preliminary evaluation of volatile organic compounds associated with certain aspects of a Hydroclave sterilization cycle was conducted on November 17, 1998.

The objective of the survey was to determine volatile organic contaminant concentrations at these worst-case locations in terms of potential exposures of site personnel The results have therefore been compared to occupational exposure limits.

The results are representative of the conditions existing at the time of the sampling, including the make-up of waste being sterilized, sterilization temperature, pressure, and duration etc. At the time of the survey, the Hydroclave operator reported that the waste being sterilized had been collected from a variety of locations throughout the hospital and that the unit was fully loaded with 12 trays of waste.

Following the 5 to 10 minute venting/depressurization stage, a finishing cycle occurred for approximately 15 minutes, after which time the unloading door was slowly opened and a 3 litre air sample was collected in the rising airstream, as it discharged from the Hydroclave.

The Silco canisters were then submitted to a laboratory for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis utilizing a direct cryogenic trapping technique for an EPA target list of approximately 40 compounds (Method TO-14). Also included in the analysis was the "tentative" identification of the 10 to 15 most abundant volatile substances observed in the samples, which were not otherwise included on the target list.

The GC-MS results are reported in Table 1. Table 1a shows the standard EPA target list of volatile contaminants, from the two sampling locations. Table 1b lists the other highest concentration contaminants that were tentatively identified from the two samples.

Table 1a. Results of volatile organic compound analysis by U.S. E.P.A. Method TO-14, KGH Hydroclave unloading door, 1998.11.17

Airborne compound	Airborne Concentration (ppm)	Occupational Exposure Limits: (OELs): TWAEV, STEV (ppm) [other limits in brackets]
EPA target Compounds:
chloromethane (methyl chloride)	<0.010	50, 100(S‡)
vinyl chloride	<0.008	2, 10
bromomethane (methyl bromide)	<0.005	5S (1A4‡)
chloroethane (ethyl chloride)	<0.008	1000, (100S‡)
acetone	0.380	750,1000(500, 750, A4‡)
trichlorofluoromethane	<0.004	1000C
1,1-dichloroethene (vinylidene chloride)	<0.005	5, 20
methylene chloride	<0.006	50 (A3‡)
trichlorotrifluoroethane	<0.003	1000, 1250
carbon disulphide	0.092	10 S
trans-1,2-dichloroethene	<0.005	-
1,1-dichloroethane	<0.005	200, 250 (100‡)
methyl tert-butyl ether	<0.006	(40‡)
vinyl acetate	<0.006	10, 20 (10, 15‡)
2-butanone (methyl ethyl ketone)	0.020	200, 300
cis-1,2-dichloroethene	<0.005	-
chloroform	<0.004	10
1,2-dichloroethane (ethylene dichloride)	<0.005	10
1,1,1-trichloroethane (methyl chloroform)	<0.004	350, 450
benzene	<0.006	1†/5, 15M (0.5,2.5,A1‡)
carbon tetrachloride	<0.003	2,3 S
1,2-dichloropropane (propylene dichloride)	<0.004	75, 110
bromodichloromethane	<0.003	-
trichloroethene (trichloroethylene)	<0.004	50, 200 (100‡)
cis-1,3-dichloropropene	<0.004	-
4-methyl-2-pentanone (methyl isobutyl ketone)	<0.005	50, 75
trans-1,3-dichloropropene	<0.004	-
1,1,2-trichloroethane	<0.004	10S
toluene	0.011	100, 150 (50 S A4‡)
2-hexanone (methyl n-butyl ketone)	<0.005	1
dibromochloromethane	<0.002	-
1,2-dibromoethane (ethylene dibromide)	<0.003	Ά, S (A3‡)
tetrachloroethene (perchloroethylene)	<0.003	50 (25‡), 200 (100‡)
chlorobenzene	<0.004	75 (10‡)
ethylbenzene	<0.005	100, 125
xylenes (o-,m-, & p-isomers)	<0.009	100, 150
bromoform	<0.002	0.5 S (0.5‡)
styrene	0.039	50, 200 (20, 40, S, A4‡)
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane	<0.003	1S
1,3-dichlorobenzene	<0.003	-
1,4-dichlorobenzene	<0.017	75 (10‡), 110
1,2-dichlorobenzene	<0.003	50C (25‡, 50‡)

< Denotes sample below detection limit (i.e. not detected).
TWAEV Time-weighted average exposure value (8 hr).
STEV Short-term exposure value (15 min).
C Ceiling exposure value/limit.
M Maximum concentration exposure limit
S Skin notation (cutaneous route may represent a potential significant contribution to the overall exposure).
† Recommended 8-hr exposure limit (e.g. RRO 1990, Reg 839-benzene)
‡ ACGIH 1998 TLV
Ά Exposure value not established, any exposure should be avoided (RRO 1990, Reg. 833).
A1 Confirmed human carcinogen
A2 Suspected human carcinogen.
A3 Animal carcinogen.
A4 Not classifiable as a human carcinogen.
A5 Not suspected as a human carcinogen.

Table 1b. Tentatively identified compounds analyzed by gas chromatography / mass spectrometry, KGH Hydroclave unloading door, 1998.11.17

Tentatively Identified Compounds†	Airborne Concentration (mg/m3)	Occupational exposure Limits (OELs): TWAEV, STEV (mg/m3)
acetaldehyde	0.9	180, 270
ethanol	6.0	1900
isopropyl alcohol	10	980, 1225
n-pentane	0.2	1770, 2210
isobutylaldehyde	0.2	-
isovaleraldehyde	0.2	-
1-butanol	0.2	150 C
4-methylheptane	0.2	-
2,4-dimethyl-1-heptene	0.5	-
cyclohexanone	0.3	100 S
benzaldehyde	0.4	-
2-ethyl-1-hexanol	0.5	-
d-limonene	0.3	(167‡)
C11H24 alkane	0.3	-
tetradecane	0.6	-

+ Shown in order of appearance on gas chromatogram
TWAEV: Time-weighted average exposure value (8 hr)
STEV: Short-term exposure value (15 min)
C: Ceiling exposure value
S: Skin notation
‡ American Industrial Hygiene Association Workplace Environmental Exposure (WEEL) guide

Volatile organic compound levels sampled in the airstream released when the Hydroclave unloading door was opened (Table 1a and 1b) were low relative to the cited occupational exposure limits.