Increase In Ventilation Rate Research Articles

Occupational exposure and health risks of volatile organic compounds of hotel housekeepers: Field measurements of exposure and health risks.

Hotel housekeepers represent a large, low-income, predominantly minority, and high-risk workforce. Little is known about their exposure to chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study evaluates VOC exposures of housekeepers, sources and factors affecting VOC levels, and provides preliminary estimates of VOC-related health risks. We utilized indoor and personal sampling at two hotels, assessed ventilation, and characterized the VOC composition of cleaning agents. Personal sampling of hotel staff showed a total target VOC concentration of 57±36µg/m3 (mean±SD), about twice that of indoor samples. VOCs of greatest health significance included chloroform and formaldehyde. Several workers had exposure to alkanes that could cause non-cancer effects. VOC levels were negatively correlated with estimated air change rates. The composition and concentrations of the tested products and air samples helped identify possible emission sources, which included building sources (for formaldehyde), disinfection by-products in the laundry room, and cleaning products. VOC levels and the derived health risks in this study were at the lower range found in the US buildings. The excess lifetime cancer risk (average of 4.1×10-5 ) still indicates a need to lower exposure by reducing or removing toxic constituents, especially formaldehyde, or by increasing ventilation rates.

Size distribution and antibiotic-resistant characteristics of bacterial bioaerosol in intensive care unit before and during visits to patients

Airborne bacteria in hospitals have been implicated in nosocomial infections. This investigation studied the characteristics of airborne bacteria and the effect of patient visitation on the bacteria profile in intensive care units (ICUs). Air at a medical ICU and surgical ICU was sampled for one year. Airborne bacteria before and during visits to patients in ICUs were collected using a Six-Stage Viable Andersen Cascade Impactor to analyze the concentration and size distribution of airborne bacteria and the percentage thereof that were antibiotic-resistant. During patient visitation in the ICUs in this study, the number of visitors was 20–80. Airborne bacteria concentration during visiting hours (total averaging 168.5 CFU/m3) was three to four times than before visiting hours (p = 0.043). With increasing the visitors, most of the airborne human-associated bacteria (HAB) concentrations during visitations were higher than before visitations in each season. The two-way ANOVA of HAB concentration before and during visitation (p = 0.028) of combining MICU and SICU in various season (p = 0.007) all revealed statistical agreement. The proportion of particles, from 1.1 to 4.7 µm, during the visits was almost 1–2.4 times that before the visits in most sampling periods (p = 0.028). In addition, the opportunistic pathogens such as Micrococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Acinetobacter spp. were found in the air during visiting times. Small proportions of some environmental strains with a high antibiotic-resistance percentage (42–78%), including Brevundimonas spp., Elizabethkingia spp. and others, were detected during patient visitation. Patient visitation activities affect the bacterial profile in air in ICUs. During the visitation, visitors might bring or generate bacteria into ICUs. Limiting the number of patient visitors to ICUs, wearing respirators and gowns or increasing ventilation rate during and after patient visitation is required to maintain indoor air quality and probably decrease the risk of patient infection.

Long-term, continuous air quality monitoring in a cross-sectional study of three UK non-domestic buildings

Long-term, continuous air quality monitoring has been carried out alongside seasonal passive sampling within a case study a hospital, school and office building, representing a cross-section of the UK non-domestic sector. This approach aimed at adopting state of the art sensor technology to provide a greater understanding of the variations in indoor air quality over time and how these variations relate to both building operation and occupant behavior. The results highlight how the relationship between indoor and outdoor air evolves considerably on both short and long-term basis, with varying behaviors then seen across different sources of pollutants. The mechanically ventilated hospital and school buildings demonstrate the effectiveness of particulate filters, with very low internal concentrations of PM2.5. However, high ventilation rates, combined with the absence of any filtration of NO2, resulted in the hospital having the highest indoor concentrations of NO2 and the highest associated indoor-outdoor ratio. Morning and evening traffic related peaks in NO2 can be observed indoors, with their penetration dependent upon the delivered ventilation rates. This demonstrates the impact of adopting high ventilation rates during peak traffic, and the consequences of CO2 based demand-controlled ventilation systems in polluted urban areas without full filtration. The naturally ventilated office then demonstrates significant seasonal variations, with increased ventilation openings resulting in indoor NO2 concentrations in the summer exceeding those in the winter, despite significant reductions in ambient levels. Conversely, concentrations of indoor pollutants are seen to reduce with increasing ventilation rates, demonstrating the complex balance between the dilution of indoor pollutants and penetration of outdoor sources. Despite significant reductions from the winter to the summer (21.6–11.2 μg/m3), all formaldehyde measurements in the naturally ventilated office exceeded guideline values, indicating improved guidance and product labelling schemes may be required to achieve these guideline concentrations and reduce associated health risks.

The impact of ventilation rate on end-tidal carbon dioxide level during manual cardiopulmonary resuscitation

AimVentilation rate is a confounding factor for interpretation of end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The aim of our study was to model the effect of ventilation rate on ETCO2 during manual CPR in adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of OHCA monitor-defibrillator files with concurrent capnogram, compression depth, transthoracic impedance and ECG. We annotated pairs of capnogram segments presenting differences in average ventilation rate and average ETCO2 value but with other influencing factors (e.g. compression rate and depth) presenting similar values within the pair. ETCO2 variation as a function of ventilation rate was adjusted through curve fitting using non-linear least squares as a measure of goodness of fit. ResultsA total of 141 pairs of segments from 102 patients were annotated. Each pair provided a single data point for curve fitting. The best goodness of fit yielded a coefficient of determination R2 of 0.93. Our model described that ETCO2 decays exponentially with increasing ventilation rate. The model showed no differences attributable to the airway type (endotracheal tube or supraglottic King-LT-D). ConclusionCapnogram interpretation during CPR is challenging since many factors influence ETCO2. For adequate interpretation, we need to know the effect of each factor on ETCO2. Our model allows quantifying the effect of ventilation rate on ETCO2 variation. Our findings could contribute to better interpretation of ETCO2 during CPR.

Indoor air pollution, physical and comfort parameters related to schoolchildren's health: Data from the European SINPHONIE study

Substantial knowledge is available on the association of the indoor school environment and its effect among schoolchildren. In the same context, the SINPHONIE (School indoor pollution and health: Observatory network in Europe) conducted a study to collect data and determine the distribution of several indoor air pollutants (IAPs), physical and thermal parameters and their association with eye, skin, upper-, lower respiratory and systemic disorder symptoms during the previous three months. Finally, data from 115 schools in 54 European cities from 23 countries were collected and included 5175 schoolchildren using a harmonized and standardized protocol. The association between exposures and the health outcomes were examined using logistic regression models on the environmental stressors assessed in classroom while adjusting for several confounding factors; a VOC (volatile organic compound) score defined as the sum of the number of pollutants to which the children were highly exposed (concentration > median of the distribution) in classroom was also introduced to evaluate the multiexposure – outcome association. Schoolchildren while adjusting for several confounding factors. Schoolchildren exposed to above or equal median concentration of PM2.5, benzene, limonene, ozone and radon were at significantly higher odds of suffering from upper, lower airways, eye and systemic disorders. Increased odds were also observed for any symptom (sick school syndrome) among schoolchildren exposed to concentrations of limonene and ozone above median values. Furthermore, the risks for upper and lower airways and systemic disorders significantly increased with the VOCs score. Results also showed that increased ventilation rate was significantly associated with decreased odds of suffering from eye and skin disorders whereas similar association was observed between temperature and upper airways symptoms. The present study provides evidence that exposure to IAPs in schools is associated with various health problems in children. Further investigations are needed to confirm our findings.

Decrease in <sup>230</sup>Th in the Amundsen Basin since 2007: far-field effect of increased scavenging on the shelf?

Abstract. This study provides dissolved and particulate 230Th and 232Th results as well as particulate 234Th data collected during expeditions to the central Arctic Ocean (GEOTRACES, an international project to identify processes and quantify fluxes that control the distributions of trace elements; sections GN04 and GIPY11). Constructing a time series of dissolved 230Th from 1991 to 2015 enables the identification of processes that control the temporal development of 230Th distributions in the Amundsen Basin. After 2007, 230Th concentrations decreased significantly over the entire water column, particularly between 300 and 1500 m. This decrease is accompanied by a circulation change, evidenced by a concomitant increase in salinity. A potentially increased inflow of water of Atlantic origin with low dissolved 230Th concentrations leads to the observed depletion in dissolved 230Th in the central Arctic. Because atmospherically derived tracers (chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)) do not reveal an increase in ventilation rate, it is suggested that these interior waters have undergone enhanced scavenging of Th during transit from Fram Strait and the Barents Sea to the central Amundsen Basin. The 230Th depletion propagates downward in the water column by settling particles and reversible scavenging.

Numerical investigation of axisymmetric bubble dynamics from a submerged circumferential slit on the cylinder

The boundary element method is adopted to study the ventilating axisymmetric bubble growth from a circumferential slit in a submerged cylindrical wall under vertical flow conditions in this paper. During the bubble growth, mesh subdivision and smoothing techniques are adopted in order to optimize mesh topology. In this study, the effects of inflow velocity, surface tension coefficient, ventilation rate and slit width on the bubble development process are studied. The results show that the bubble shape is mainly affected by the inflow velocity and the surface tension coefficient, the inflow velocity promotes the downward movement of the lower intersection point of the wall and bubble, meanwhile, the surface tension inhibits it. The effect of slit width is mainly reflected in the initial stage of the bubble development. And the bubble size basically increases as the ventilation rate increases. In addition, the effects of the Froude number, Weber number, and ventilation coefficient on bubble growth are analyzed. The maximum dimensionless length and thickness of the bubble increase with the increase of the Froude number and decrease with the increase of the Weber number. As the ventilation coefficient increases, the length decreases first and then stabilizes, the thickness decreases first and then increases.

RnProbe: A LoRa-Enabled IoT Edge Device for Integrated Radon Risk Management

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can easily accumulate in indoor environments. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), radon gas is the second largest risk factor associated with lung cancer, after tobacco smoking. People spend at least half their life inside buildings, which are becoming increasingly more hermetic due to the pursuit of high energy efficiency - an increase in ventilation rates tends to increase heat losses. In this context, energy efficiency and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) concepts, if not studied in a balanced way, can move in opposite directions. The introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for continuous assessment of the IAQ can help to achieve an optimally integrated balance between them. This article focus on the specification and design of the RnProbe, an IoT Edge Device developed under the scope of the RnMonitor R&D project whose main objective was the specification and development of a Cyber-Physical System (CPS) for integrated Radon Risk Management in public buildings, such as schools, kindergartens, offices, and hospitals, that are restricted to regular occupancy schedules, so that policymakers and building managers can reduce public health risks associated with the exposure to this pollutant. The device collects, aggregates, and transmits up to the cloud, several indoor environmental parameters. When combined these measurements are used to perform specific mitigation actions in the building, to improve IAQ.

Designing for Fire Safety and Ventilation in Warm Humid Climate, Case Study: Library Building of Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Fire safety is imperative for public buildings. Previous studies suggested that fire responsive building should limit the provision of oxygen to avoid hazardous flashover. However, due to warm humid climate, most Indonesian low-rise buildings are designed to maximize natural ventilation by constructing open stairs instead of fully enclosed stairwells. Therefore, those facts incite questions on how fire safety issues should be addressed in warm humid climate buildings. In response, this research employs a case study of five stories Library of Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Furthermore, this paper introduces FDS+Evac to predict the behavior of fire spread toward occupants during egress. Research combines the mandates of fire safety along with natural ventilation by deploying two separate conditions: a) under fire incident, and b) daily (normal) condition. Under fire incident, the experiment measures egress safety indicators; degree of visibility, air temperature, and FED (Fractional Effective Dose), whereas for daily condition air velocity and its distribution are accounted. Experiments are conducted by devising three concepts: 1) existing, 2) passive protections; hung walls, enclosed stairwell, and smoke cavities, and 3) active protections; exhaust fans, air curtains, and sprinklers. Result shows that smoke, high temperature, and poor visibility are best solved by providing air cavities, whereas toxicity is reduced by increasing ventilation rate. Moreover, natural ventilation is satisfied since existing openings are unchanged.

Early-stage concentrations of formaldehydes and TVOCs in a new low-energy building

This paper deals with temporary discomfort caused by characteristic odours from new objects and materials in office buildings. Earlier investigations have shown that increased ventilation rates in residential buildings decrease the indoor concentrations of non-occupant-related indoor air pollutants such as aldehydes and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). To study how this basic principle for the control of indoor air pollutants complies with a demand-controlled ventilation, which is an important energy efficiency measure in modern office buildings, the authors have designed and conducted a serial of field tests. Concentrations of aldehydes and TVOCs have been measured in two newly built and identical meeting rooms under different ventilation strategies. By overruling the existing demand control ventilation and increasing gradually but differently the air change rates in the rooms over a course of five weeks, the concentration of formaldehyde and TVOCs decreased for about 75 % from the initial values of ca. 45 μg/m3 and ca. 400 μg/m3 respectively. Impact of door openings on instantaneous indoor air quality has been studied in parallel by combining CO2 measurements and numerical simulations. Good agreement was found between the simulated and measured CO2 concentrations and thereby the door opening model was verified.

A field study of the individual and combined effect of ventilation rate and lighting conditions on pupils’ performance

A field lab study was conducted to determine how much the indoor climate parameters, ventilation and lighting, influence children's academic abilities. The study involved 92 children, aged 10–12 years, who over four weeks answered a questionnaire and three different performance tests, which measured their processing speed, concentration, logical reasoning and math solving abilities. An experimental design was constructed to test the effect of changing the lighting from constant warm light with a maintained correlated colour temperature average of 2900 K and lighting level of 450 lux to a dynamic cool light of 4900 K and 750 lux. The change was tested at both low (3.9 l/s per person) and high ventilation rate (10.6 l/s per person). The results showed that processing speed (6.6%, P < 0.001), concentration (8.3%, P < 0.001) and math skills (11.8%, P < 0.006), improved the most in the combined scenario with high ventilation rate and dynamic cool lighting. The logical reasoning test did not show any significant changes. The questionnaire results of the pupils' perception of the indoor environment suggested that they were satisfied in general, but the indoor environmental changes had only very limited effect on how they perceived the classroom. The combination of dynamic lighting and increased ventilation rate indicated a boosted positive impact on the speed and concentration of the children which means that future renovations would benefit from a holistic design including both of these factors.

Numerical Investigation on Heat and Mass Transfer of Volatile Flammable Gases Within the Nuclear Reactor Containment

Abstract Diffusion of volatile flammable species in the air can cause a fire risk within the nuclear reactor containment. However, computational prediction on species concentration distributions remains significantly difficult due to a shortage of multicomponent diffusion coefficients. In this work, considerable effort has been made to calculate concentration distributions of formaldehyde and benzene vapor volatilized from radiation-proof coatings of reactor containment walls. For this purpose, a numerical model is proposed to simulate species transport and concentration distributions due to full multicomponent diffusion and thermal diffusion. Meanwhile, the in-house UDFs' source code is programmed for solving diffusivities and essential thermophysical properties. After compiling and linking the source code with the numerical model, a pressure-based SIMPLE algorithm is imposed for pressure–velocity coupling calculations. Computational results indicate that concentration distributions are highly dependent on the fluid motion as well as potentially flammable areas decrease gradually with increased ventilation rates. Also, primary and secondary vortices are symmetrically distributed about the vertical centerline of the reactor containment as well as triangular secondary vortices can significantly suppress concentrations of formaldehyde and benzene vapor at the bottom portion of the containment. Finally, excellent agreement is observed between computational results and analytical solutions.

The effects of respiratory muscle resistance training on lactate threshold: a potential effort to prevent muscle fatigue during exercise

Respiratory muscle resistance training (RMRT) is the practice of breathing through a respiratory mouth-device designed to restrict airflow to the user, increase airway resistance and subsequently increase the work necessary for the respiratory muscles to inspire and expire. During periods of exercise, there is an elevation in blood lactate levels as well as H+, which is a major contributing factor to exercise fatigue. The resultant elevated plasma acidity is compensated by an increased ventilation rate, which leads to increased expiration and removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the body. It was hypothesized that healthy college students that undergo four weeks of RMRT exercise will have improved oxygen consumption at the point of lactate threshold (VO2LT) during a graded exercise running test. The experimental group used an Expand-a-Lung RMRT device 5 times a week and tested weekly for four weeks by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with a BSX Insight blood oxygenation sensor to measure the amount of oxygen-saturated hemoglobin (%SmO2) in the calf muscle. Our preliminary results show some improvement in ventilation in the experimental group, with tidal volume significantly increasing the most. The VO2 at lactate threshold did show an increase, providing support for our original hypothesis.

Rethinking ventilation: A benefit-cost analysis of carbon-offset increased outdoor air provision

The indoor built environment critically impacts occupant health, and improvements to indoor air quality have been demonstrated to significantly reduce illness while improving cognitive function. While the link between increased outdoor air ventilation and improved occupant heath and productivity are established; many energy codes and sustainability rating systems penalize building designers for ventilating above code minimums. This paper argues that this approach is short-sighted and proposes instead that carbon emissions associated with any increased ventilation rates be offset and all limitations removed. A benefit-cost analysis considered energy costs and carbon emission offsets to achieve net-zero carbon operation for large office buildings across international climate zones with ventilation rates ranging from 125% to 1000% ASHRAE 62.1 minimums. Key findings: (1) the productivity benefit was substantially larger than the incremental energy costs; (2) carbon offset costs were relatively low compared with energy costs and had a negligible effect on results; (3) increasing outdoor air resulted in consistently increasing net benefits on an area basis; and (4) the benefit-cost ratio was inversely proportional to the severity of the climate, with the most moderate climates actually showing a net energy decrease with elevated outdoor air. This paper frames the question of ventilation rates in sustainable buildings not as an energy issue, but as a health and productivity issue and provides an alternative framework for this evaluation within a carbon-neutral context. This paper presents a quantitative analysis across climate zones and achievable ventilation flow rates to provide financial justification within the contemporary building design context.

Ventilation Is an Important Confounding Variable When End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide Is Used to Help Guide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Ventilation Is an Important Confounding Variable When End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide Is Used to Help Guide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

A Mathematical Model for Increasing Incidence ofTuberculosis in Poverty Driven Confined Areas and Measures for Control

Tuberculosis is observed to be most prevalent airborne infectious diseases killing hundreds and thousands of people every year. Mostly, the disease spreads in poverty driven poor countries and also to some extent in developing nations. The disease transmits in situations where infected persons are in close contact with others in confined spaces and also living in poor and unhygienic conditions. It is well recognized that overcrowding increases the risk of transmission. A detailed analysis is presented in this paper with respect to the various participating parameters. Interestingly, the results presented in this paper illustrate the occurrence and propagation of the disease as a mathematical model. The results are in agreement with the real life situations and the number of new infections is observed to be linear. It is seen that for fixed time (t), as the room volume (V) increases, the new infections(C) decreases gradually. In general it is seen that as the ventilation rate (N) increases, the new infections decreases quite rapidly. Further, it is observed that as time increases for a constant ventilation rate, an increase in the new infections is noted. Also, for a constant room volume as time increases, the number of new infections is found to be increasing. An interesting feature is that as the ventilation is progressive, a steep fall in the new infections is noted in the initial stages and subsequently, the drop is not that significant. The influence of time gradually seems to be diminishing as the ventilation rate increases. As the room volume increases, the new infections decrease at a faster rate. However, in each of these observations, it is seen that as ventilation rate increases, the number of new infections are found to be inversely proportional. Such a decrease is more predominant in the initial stages but decreases subsequently

Sublethal exposure to copper supresses the ability to acclimate to hypoxia in a model fish species

Hypoxia is one of the major threats to biodiversity in aquatic systems. The association of hypoxia with nutrient-rich effluent input into aquatic systems results in scenarios where hypoxic waters could be contaminated with a wide range of chemicals, including metals. Despite this, little is known about the ability of fish to respond to hypoxia when exposures occur in the presence of environmental toxicants. We address this knowledge gap by investigating the effects of exposures to different levels of oxygen in the presence or absence of copper using the three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) model. Fish were exposed to different air saturations (AS; 100%, 75% and 50%) in combination with copper (20 μg/L) over a 4 day period. The critical oxygen level (Pcrit), an indicator of acute hypoxia tolerance, was 54.64 ± 2.51% AS under control conditions, and 36.21 ± 2.14% when fish were chronically exposed to hypoxia (50% AS) for 4 days, revealing the ability of fish to acclimate to low oxygen conditions. Importantly, the additional exposure to copper (20 μg/L) prevented this improvement in Pcrit, impairing hypoxia acclimation. In addition, an increase in ventilation rate was observed for combined copper and hypoxia exposure, compared to the single stressors or the controls. Interestingly, in the groups exposed to copper, a large increase in variation in the measured Pcrit was observed between individuals, both under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. This variation, if observed in wild populations, may lead to selection for a tolerant phenotype and alterations in the gene pool of the populations, with consequences for their sustainability. Our findings provide strong evidence that copper reduces the capacity of fish to respond to hypoxia by preventing acclimation and will inform predictions of the consequences of global increases of hypoxia in water systems affected by other pollutants worldwide.

Evolution of nociception and pain: evidence from fish models.

In order to survive, animals must avoid injury and be able to detect potentially damaging stimuli via nociceptive mechanisms. If the injury is accompanied by a negative affective component, future behaviour should be altered and one can conclude the animal experienced the discomfort associated with pain. Fishes are the most successful vertebrate group when considering the number of species that have filled a variety of aquatic niches. The empirical evidence for nociception in fishes from the underlying molecular biology, neurobiology and anatomy of nociceptors through to whole animal behavioural responses is reviewed to demonstrate the evolutionary conservation of nociception and pain from invertebrates to vertebrates. Studies in fish have shown that the biology of the nociceptive system is strikingly similar to that found in mammals. Further, potentially painful events result in behavioural and physiological changes such as reduced activity, guarding behaviour, suspension of normal behaviour, increased ventilation rate and abnormal behaviours which are all prevented by the use of pain-relieving drugs. Fish also perform competing tasks less well when treated with a putative painful stimulus. Therefore, there is ample evidence to demonstrate that it is highly likely that fish experience pain and that pain-related behavioural changes are conserved across vertebrates. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Evolution of mechanisms and behaviour important for pain'.

Experimental investigation on the cavity evolution and dynamics with special emphasis on the development stage of ventilated partial cavitating flow

Abstract Ventilated cavitating flows involve complex features and dynamic characteristics due to the strong interactions between gas and liquid. In the present work, we especially focus on the experimental investigation of the development stage of ventilated partial cavitating flow in a closed-loop water tunnel at Harbin Institute of Technology. In the experiments, a conical axisymmetric test body made of aluminum alloy with a ventilation slot at the nose is placed at the middle of the test section. A high-speed camera is used to capture the flow patterns. Five pressure transducers are installed in the test model to measure the unsteady dynamic pressure. A multi-field synchronous measurement system for cavitating flow is established to address the relationship between cavity evolution and instantaneous pressure. The effect of gas ventilation rate on cavity evolution and dynamic pressure are investigated. Three unsteady flow patterns are observed namely foamy cavity (FC), continuous transparent and foamy cavity (CTFC), continuous transparent and asymmetric cavity (CTAC) respectively. In addition, three distinct cavity regimes are also observed based on the dynamic cavity topology, referred to as gas-filled cavity region (GFCR), re-entrant jet region (REJR) and wake region (WR). The gas entrainment mechanism determined by the re-entrant flow model of a partial ventilated cavity is analyzed. A phenomenon we observed is that the increase in ventilation rate can improve the dynamic stability inside the cavity and can help reduce the load on the test body. Moreover, we find that there are location gaps in space between the pressure peaks and the foamy cavity closure position due to the effect of re-entrant flow.

Toward an energy efficient healthcare environment: a case study of hospital corridor design

Several studies have linked nosocomial transmission of airborne diseases to airflow in healthcare settings. Quasi-experimental methods are developed to observe the aerodynamic transport behavior of synthetic respiratory particles in the corridors of an actual hospital. Computational models are then developed to validate the experimental results and to explore the spatial relationships of supply–exhaust air ventilation under various ventilation rates in patient corridors. This work aims to study the effect of ventilation rate and arrangement on the containment and removal of airborne contaminates in patient corridors. Results suggest that distribution of bio-aerosols in hospital corridors could be exacerbated by introducing higher ventilation rates. Increasing ventilation rate appears to reduce aerosol concentrations; however, depending on release point and ventilation arrangement, the reduction may not be worth the extra cost of ventilation. Modified supply–exhaust air system configurations could reduce average particle concentration up to 30% and transport distance more than 60% without increasing air change rate. Best results were obtained by placing an air outlet grille between each two supply air intakes along the corridor.