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The last two decades have been crucial for the assessment of airborne formaldehyde (FA) exposure in healthcare environments due to changes in limits and reference values, definition of carcinogenicity, and new monitoring methods. The aim of this study was to analyse twenty years (1999–2019) of experience in automatic, continuous airborne FA monitoring in the Pathology Laboratory and operating rooms at the Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy. These 20 years saw gradual improvements in FA monitoring of exposed employees considered at maximum risk, including improvements in analytical methods of detection and sampling strategies, which came with changes in procedures and workflow operations. In 2019, after the adoption of safe practices, including a closed-circuit system using pre-loaded containers and a vacuum sealing, 94 % of the total measurements (FA concentrations) were lower than 16 μg/m3, and only 6 % ranged from 21 to 75 μg/m3. In the studied work units, the ratio between area and personal readings ranged from 0.9 to 1.0, both for long and short-term sampling. Personal sampling was simplified with a new workstation, which integrated different monitoring systems into an innovative ergonomic armchair equipped with personal sampling devices. Area monitoring was also improved with a real-time, continuous photoacoustic instrument. Over these 20 years, FA exposure significantly dropped, which coincided with optimised histology workflow and implementation of safety practices. For high-throughput screening and cost savings we propose an innovative ergonomic armchair station which allows remote continuous monitoring.

The potential carcinogenicity of formaldehyde (FA) has prompted increasing preventive measures in anatomic pathology (AP) laboratories and new strategies aimed at innovating airborne FA monitoring systems. This review provides an updated overview of the most recent improvements in preventive measures, safe practices, and exposure monitoring tools in the FA usage and handling. A computer-based search of scientific and non-scientific sources was performed on PubMed, Web of Science, Google and Google Patents databases, querying the main topics of real-time, in-continuous FA monitoring instruments for sale, and commercially available tools for improving preventive measures in formalin management. In order to simplify the sampling process and to choose a better analytic solution to FA assessment, the main characteristics of each FA monitoring instrument were described. The novel technical tools recently introduced on the global market, aimed at reducing FA emissions in AP laboratories, were summarized. This review is directed at anatomic pathologists to draw their attention to the rapidly growing field of safe formalin practices. A repeated exposure assessment is recommended to evaluate technical changes in air monitoring programs to keep FA emissions low, in compliance with the limit value; thus, evolved monitoring devices are needed. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(3):319-38. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last two decades have been crucial for the assessment of airborne formaldehyde (FA) exposure in healthcare environments due to changes in limits and reference values, definition of carcinogenicity, and new monitoring methods. The aim of this study was to analyse twenty years (1999–2019) of experience in automatic, continuous airborne FA monitoring in the Pathology Laboratory and operating rooms at the Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy. These 20 years saw gradual improvements in FA monitoring of exposed employees considered at maximum risk, including improvements in analytical methods of detection and sampling strategies, which came with changes in procedures and workflow operations. In 2019, after the adoption of safe practices, including a closed-circuit system using pre-loaded containers and a vacuum sealing, 94 % of the total measurements (FA concentrations) were lower than 16 μg/m3, and only 6 % ranged from 21 to 75 μg/m3. In the studied work units, the ratio between area and personal readings ranged from 0.9 to 1.0, both for long and short-term sampling. Personal sampling was simplified with a new workstation, which integrated different monitoring systems into an innovative ergonomic armchair equipped with personal sampling devices. Area monitoring was also improved with a real-time, continuous photoacoustic instrument. Over these 20 years, FA exposure significantly dropped, which coincided with optimised histology workflow and implementation of safety practices. For high-throughput screening and cost savings we propose an innovative ergonomic armchair station which allows remote continuous monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on solid-state batteries operating at 120 °C prepared with metal hydride M H nanocomposites x MgH 2 +(1- x )TiH 2 used as active materials for the positive electrode, metallic Li as the negative electrode and LiBH 4 as the solid electrolyte. The molar content x of the M H nanocomposites ranged from 0.2 to 0.8. The electrochemical properties of the metal hydride electrodes are here scrutinized as a function of the chemical composition of the active materials. Mg-rich nanocomposites offer higher specific capacity (over 1700 mAh g −1 at C /50 regime for x  = 0.7), whereas Ti-rich ones exhibit better cycle-life ( ca. 100% capacity retention after 10 cycles for x  = 0.2). In comparison to equivalent liquid electrolyte cells operated at RT, solid-state cells show improved properties such as a coulombic efficiency above 98% and a rate capability of ca. 50% of delivered capacity at 1C-rate. It is also evidenced that mass transport within the working electrode is a key factor limiting the reversibility of hydride conversion reactions. This work represents a deep insight on the hurdles of metal hydrides to be used as efficient anode materials for Li-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured metallic hydrides are promising anode active materials for the next generations of Li-ion batteries due to their high capacities, adapted working potential and low polarisation. In the present study, nanocomposites made of y MgH 2 and (1 − y )TiH 2 with molar composition y = 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8 were prepared by mechanical milling of elemental metal powders under hydrogen pressure. Microstructural analysis by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) shows the co-existence of the two hydrides at the nanoscale with average crystallite sizes comprised between 4 and 11 nm. Galvanostatic and cyclic voltammetry experiments have been performed to investigate the reversibility of the conversion reaction between both hydrides and lithium. All nanocomposites can be fully lithiated for the first discharge, but the reversibility of the reaction strongly depends on the composition. No reformation of any hydride occurs for the TiH 2 -rich composite ( y = 0.2), TiH 2 is only partially reformed for the equimolar composite ( y = 0.5) and both MgH 2 and TiH 2 hydrides are recovered at different extents for the Mg-rich one ( y = 0.8). A high reversibility (almost 80%) of TiH 2 is attained in the latter composite with a promising capacity retention (70% over ten cycles) by cycling within a restricted potential window. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metal hydride is used for the first time as anode in a complete all-solid-state battery with sulfur as cathode and LiBH 4 as solid electrolyte. The hydride is a nanocomposite made of MgH 2 and TiH 2 counterparts. The battery exhibits a high reversible capacity of 910 mAh g −1 with discharge plateaus at 1.8 V and 1.4 V. Moreover, the capacity remains to 85% of the initial value over the 25 first charge/discharge cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen as an energy carrier is very versatile in energy storage applications. Developments in novel, sustainable technologies towards a CO2-free society are needed and the exploration of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) as well as solid-state hydrogen storage applications based on metal hydrides can provide solutions for such technologies. However, there are still many technical challenges for both hydrogen storage material and ASSBs related to designing low-cost materials with low-environmental impact. The current materials considered for all-solid-state batteries should have high conductivities for Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, while Al3+-based compounds are often marginalised due to the lack of suitable electrode and electrolyte materials. In hydrogen storage materials, the sluggish kinetic behaviour of solid-state hydride materials is one of the key constraints that limit their practical uses. Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the kinetic issues of hydride materials before discussing and considering them on the system level. This review summarizes the achievements of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) innovative training network (ITN) ECOSTORE, the aim of which was the investigation of different aspects of (complex) metal hydride materials. Advances in battery and hydrogen storage materials for the efficient and compact storage of renewable energy production are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]