ABSTRACT
In addition to ventilation dilution, Ÿltration, and UVGI, there are several alternative technologies that can reduce the levels of airborne pathogens in hospital environments, or that can be used to disinfect hospital surfaces. The most promising of these technologies are addressed here, including ozonation, photocatalytic oxidation, plasma or corona technologies, pulsed light, passive solar exposure, ionization, vegetation air cleaning, and antimicrobial coatings. Microbiological disinfection data or epidemiological data demonstrating infection reduction in hospitals is quite limited for these developmental technologies. Some of these technologies may be considered Green Building Technologies, in which active, passive, or natural technologies are applied, or sustainable materials and renewable energy resources are incorporated into hospital design. These include passive solar exposure, vegetation air cleaning, and material selectivity. Of course, any technology that reduces energy consumption while promoting improved air quality may be considered green. In most cases it is easy to demonstrate via engineering that energy consumption is reduced, but the proof that airborne biocontamination or infection rates are reduced is often more difŸcult. Gas phase Ÿltration technologies such as carbon absorption are not addressed here because gases and odors are not infectious hazards, even if they come from microbiological sources. See Kowalski (2006) for speciŸc details on gas phase Ÿltration technologies.
