Impact of COVID-19 in gas detection
One word can sum up the year 2020: COVID-19!
After this very strange year, new standards have emerged. This coronavirus crisis has an impact on our daily life and especially on the use of gas detectors. In this article, we will focus on the different gas risks that have been exacerbated by this COVID-19 crisis:
- The increase of the O₂ risk in hospitals brought by the intensive use of artificial respirators
- The increase of the CO₂ risk, usually encountered in the wine or beer manufacturing process but that we will find during the next battle against COVID: the mass transportation of vaccines
The risk O₂
1. Description and effects of oxygen or O₂
Oxygen is a molecule present as a colorless gas at room pressure and temperature. This molecule is essential to life but it can be dangerous.
If it is not present in sufficient quantity, it can cause anoxia.
And on the contrary, if it is too present, the main danger is that people's clothes or hair can easily catch fire, causing serious or even fatal burns.
2. Impact of COVID-19 in the hospital environment: the oxygen risk
We have seen many people with COVID-19 come into hospitals. One of the most serious symptoms is respiratory distress syndrome or the inability of people to breathe on their own. When this happens, these people must be placed on a ventilator*.
At the beginning of the crisis, hospitals were equipped with a large number of artificial respirators on an emergency basis. The influx of respirators was accompanied by an increase in the stock of oxygen cylinders. It is the use of the respirators or the mere storage of the oxygen cylinders that presents a risk. The O₂ risk is the enrichment of the atmosphere with O₂ which greatly increases the risk of fire. An atmosphere containing more than 25% oxygen has a 10% increase in the probability of a spontaneous fire.
In Great Britain, studies have shown that malfunction or poor maintenance is one of the most common sources of oxygen ventilator incidents (+50%): "Over 10 miles of piping installed at Nightingale Hospital serving 4000 beds - any leak will result in O₂ enrichment - The sheer volume of ventilators in a confined space could also result in enrichment of the atmosphere even in the absence of leaks"
* An Artificial Respirator is a medical device consisting of a motor or turbine that artificially blows oxygen-laden air and allows carbon dioxide to be removed by the ventilation thus created. It replaces the mechanical effect of breathing in and out.
3. How to protect yourself from O₂ risk in hospitals.
For hospitals where medical oxygen consumption is increasing, it is recommended to keep the equipment in good working order, ensure good ventilation and regular monitoring of the environment.
Two solutions are possible:
- portable gas detection, which can be easily deployed
- fixed gas detection, especially in storage areas
The risk CO₂
1. Description and effects of carbon dioxide or CO₂
It is a silent and deadly gas. At high concentrations above 10%, CO₂ displaces oxygen from the air: this is called asphyxiation. In this case, breathing air can cause convulsions, vomiting, coma and even death, and the lack of oxygen can cause permanent damage to organs, including the brain and heart.
At lower concentrations, less oxygen is available for breathing. Symptoms such as rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, dizziness, disorientation, headaches and fatigue can result.
CO₂ is part of our daily lives because it occurs naturally in the atmosphere. It is a colorless and odorless gas. It is well known because it is widely present in the food industry for the manufacture of beer, wine or champagne, in fire extinguishers as an inerting agent or in the chemical industry. It is also known because it can pose risks in confined spaces. This is the case for the transport and storage of sensitive temperature-controlled products such as vaccines.
2. Impact of COVID-19 during vaccine transport: the CO₂ risk.
The arrival of vaccines will lead to an increase in the use of dry ice. Also known as, Dry Ice, it is commonly used for the transportation of temperature sensitive products.
It is the solid form of CO₂ - which as it warms up during transport - releases gaseous molecules of CO₂. This outgassing can cause hypercapnia (abnormally high levels of CO₂ in the blood) due to accumulation in confined spaces (transport truck, storage area ...).
Large-scale distribution of the vaccine will require the handling of large volumes of dry ice and therefore hazardous materials. It is necessary to monitor CO₂ levels throughout the vaccine supply chain to alert workers to unsafe conditions and minimize disruption.
3. How to protect yourself from the CO₂ risk.
CO₂ detectors can be used to accurately detect leaks or toxicity levels so that workers and installers are aware of hazardous gas levels and react quickly. Two solutions are available:
- Portable gas detectors for workers who handle and transport vaccines, especially in confined spaces such as trucks and shipping containers.
- Stationary gas detectors for shipping, receiving, and dry ice vaccine storage sites
