Risk Exposure during Showering and Water-Saving Showers

Eco-friendly showers aim to lower energy and water consumption by generating smaller droplets than those produced traditional systems. To evaluate the risk of users inhaling contaminants associated with such droplets—namely, chemical components or opportunistic bacterial pathogens as Legionella—we modeled behavior aerosolized water-atomization technology at a flow rate 2.2 L/min compared results obtained using this model determined experimentally in typical shower stall. Additionally, we monitored number mass inhalable emitted twelve showerheads—eight four continuous-flow technology—which have distinct characteristics terms rate, pressure, spray angle, diameter nozzles. The water-atomizing tested not only had rates, but also larger angles, less nozzles, nozzle diameters showerheads. We observed difference between two technologies, both unobstructed presence mannequin. evaporation favored homogenous distribution In mannequin, increased for showerheads decreased did per unit time; however, they generally slightly higher (1.6 times more), including large enough carry bacterium each—only one performed well regard. Further experiments are needed assess whether slight increase increases biological risk.