Ninewells Hospital chooses Tiger for air quality in tissue laboratories
Ninewells hospital are using an ION Science Tiger to adhere with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFEA) regulations for air quality in tissue laboratories and to ensure optimum culture conditions for embryos.
Client name
NHS Ninewells Hospital Dundee
Product
Tiger portable VOC detector
Industry/Applications
Pharmaceutical and Medical
Ninewells is an NHS Teaching Hospital where they provide treatment on both an NHS and self-funded basis. Assisted conception treatment has been carried out since the early 1980s when John Mills and Geoff James established the Unit and developed it into one of the largest centres in Scotland. The first baby born from IVF treatment in Scotland was born in 1984.
Ninewells Hospital is one of the oldest IVF facilities in the UK. It performs numerous investigations to ascertain why couples are not getting pregnant naturally and try to overcome fertility issues to achieve a pregnancy. Every year it has an average of 400 cycles of IVF and ICSI, and a further 250 cycles utilising previously frozen embryos.
The Assisted Conception Unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee has purchased an ION Science Tiger handheld volatile organic compound (VOC) detector in adherence with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFEA) regulations for air quality in tissue laboratories and to ensure optimum culture conditions for embryos. This follows an independent external review that recommended the facility upgrade to a more sensitive photoionisation detector (PID) that measured VOC levels in parts per billion (ppb).
With even low levels of VOCs potentially affecting embryo development, the Ninewells Hospital’s Assisted Conception Unit regularly monitors VOCs in its laboratories to minimise contaminants, maintain the best possible conditions and help ensure successful IVF outcomes.
Philip Milne, Clinical Embryologist at Ninewells Hospitals Assisted Conception Unit:
” The aim of the HFEA regulation is to implement standards of air quality in laboratories where tissues are prepared for use in humans, including assisted conception facilities. Part of this is measuring and maintaining the air found in tissue laboratories with particle and microbial counts being done on a regular basis.
Regular monitoring of our laboratory’s air quality with the ION Science Tiger has shown very low levels of VOCs. With major building work taking place outside the air intakes from our laboratory, the use of the instrument is even more critical to maintaining those levels.
We have been very pleased with the ION Science Tiger to date and would not hesitate to recommend it to other facilities.”
Assisted Conception Unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee
”Regular monitoring of our laboratory’s air quality with the ION Science Tiger has shown very low levels of VOCs. With major building work taking place outside the air intakes from our laboratory, the use of the instrument is even more critical to maintaining those levels.
Philip Milne, Clinical EmbryologistNinewells Hospitals Assisted Conception Unit