What is the required pressure for the ISO 7 Negative Pressure Buffer Room?

The requirement for an ISO 7 Negative Pressure Buffer Room is to maintain a pressure that is less than the atmospheric pressure to ensure that any airborne contaminants are contained and do not escape into adjacent areas. Maintaining at least -0.01 inches of water column creates a negative pressure environment, which helps prevent the migration of potentially hazardous substances outside the controlled area.

This negative pressure is particularly essential in settings where sterile compounding occurs, as it helps ensure that any contaminants generated during compounding are effectively contained within the buffer room, protecting both the environment and the healthcare personnel. Such pressure requirements are critical to maintaining aseptic conditions and safeguarding the integrity of sterile products.

In contrast, positive pressure environments are typically utilized in cleanrooms for areas designed to maintain the sterility of the environment, making them unsuitable for a negative pressure buffer room. Being equal to atmospheric pressure would not effectively contain contaminants, while a positive pressure above +0.05 inches would compromise the negative pressure needed for containment, thus underscoring the importance of maintaining the specified negative pressure of at least -0.01 inches of water column.