Particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toilet
Abstract Squat toilets are widely used in developing countries due to local customs and low costs. The flushing of a squat toilet can entrain strong airflow and produce aerosols. This investigation constructed a lavatory mock-up with a squat toilet. The flushing-induced airflow was both visualized a...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25106-4 |
| _version_ | 1811179029452029952 |
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| author | Tengfei (Tim) Zhang Lifang Yao Zilong Gao Feng Wang |
| author_facet | Tengfei (Tim) Zhang Lifang Yao Zilong Gao Feng Wang |
| author_sort | Tengfei (Tim) Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Squat toilets are widely used in developing countries due to local customs and low costs. The flushing of a squat toilet can entrain strong airflow and produce aerosols. This investigation constructed a lavatory mock-up with a squat toilet. The flushing-induced airflow was both visualized and quantitatively measured by particle image velocimetry. The maximum height of the impacted airflow was identified by an ultrasonic anemometer. For inference of the particle emission rate, the toilet bowl was covered by an enclosed box for particle concentration measurement. The risks from skin contact of the deposited particles on the flushing button and the door handle and the possible inhalation of the released aerosols were evaluated. The results revealed that flushing a squat toilet can drive toilet plume to rise up to 0.9 m above the toilet bowl. A single flushing process can produce 0.29 million particles with diameters greater than 0.3 μm, among which 90% of the particles are submicron-sized. The flushing may cause particles to deposit on the flushing button and lavatory door handle as well as inhalation exposure even remaining in the lavatory for half a minute after flushing, especially for those lavatory users whose respiratory zones are below 1.0 m. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:28:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d670af4a40d34f4b9affdde7f2b2bda4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:28:46Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-d670af4a40d34f4b9affdde7f2b2bda42022-12-22T04:40:16ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-12-0112111510.1038/s41598-022-25106-4Particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toiletTengfei (Tim) Zhang0Lifang Yao1Zilong Gao2Feng Wang3School of Civil Engineering, Dalian University of TechnologySchool of Civil Engineering, Dalian University of TechnologySchool of Civil Engineering, Dalian University of TechnologyTianjin Laboratory of Indoor Air Environmental Quality Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversityAbstract Squat toilets are widely used in developing countries due to local customs and low costs. The flushing of a squat toilet can entrain strong airflow and produce aerosols. This investigation constructed a lavatory mock-up with a squat toilet. The flushing-induced airflow was both visualized and quantitatively measured by particle image velocimetry. The maximum height of the impacted airflow was identified by an ultrasonic anemometer. For inference of the particle emission rate, the toilet bowl was covered by an enclosed box for particle concentration measurement. The risks from skin contact of the deposited particles on the flushing button and the door handle and the possible inhalation of the released aerosols were evaluated. The results revealed that flushing a squat toilet can drive toilet plume to rise up to 0.9 m above the toilet bowl. A single flushing process can produce 0.29 million particles with diameters greater than 0.3 μm, among which 90% of the particles are submicron-sized. The flushing may cause particles to deposit on the flushing button and lavatory door handle as well as inhalation exposure even remaining in the lavatory for half a minute after flushing, especially for those lavatory users whose respiratory zones are below 1.0 m.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25106-4 |
| spellingShingle | Tengfei (Tim) Zhang Lifang Yao Zilong Gao Feng Wang Particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toilet Scientific Reports |
| title | Particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toilet |
| title_full | Particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toilet |
| title_fullStr | Particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toilet |
| title_full_unstemmed | Particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toilet |
| title_short | Particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toilet |
| title_sort | particle exposure risk to a lavatory user after flushing a squat toilet |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25106-4 |
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