Microbiological and Chemical Indicators of Water Used in Hemodialysis Centers of Hospitals Affiliated to Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, 2012

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 MSc Student of Environmental Health, Students Scientific Research Center of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Health, Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran

3 Lecturer, Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran

4 Lecturer, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Background: Hemodialysis is a life-saving process used as a treatment for many patients sufferimg from renal failure. Because of the large amount of water used in this process, contamination of hemodialysis water with microbial and harmful chemical pollutants is possible. Therefore, considering standards of dialysis water is critical. The aim of this study was to investigate the microbiological and chemical indicators of water used in hemodialysis centers of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences and the efficiency of water treatment systems in these centers. Methods: This cross - sectional study was performed in two hospitals of Zahedan from March to June 2012. A total of 15 hemodialysis devices were selected through convenient sampling and 34 samples were taken from their input water. Experiments were performed according to the book of standard methods. Data analysis was performed through SPSS16 and using descriptive statistics and t-test. Results: Except for calcium that its mean concentration (19.4± 5.4) was higher than the AAMI standard, mean concentrations of cations and other compounds were significantly less than the standard levels. None of the samples had microbiological contamination. Conclusion: The water used in hemodialysis centers of Zahedan hospitals has no microbiological contamination and has AAMI standards.

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