Technical
HEALTHY AIR
HUMIDITY (PART 3)
By Nortec
In this technical paper, we continue looking at the importance of air
humidification in hospitals and in outpatient settings, specifically focusing
on the importance of water to the human body and the negative effects of
dry air.
THE HUMAN BODY CONSISTS OF 75% WATER
The human body mainly consists of water. At birth, our bodies
are made up of 80% water. This reduces throughout our lives,
amounting to about 70% in adults and reducing to only 55% at
age 85.
The majority of it is stored in our bodies’ cells, about one
third in the extracellular space, the area outside the cells which
is filled with fluid, and in the blood.
Our bodies are made
up of mostly water
and excessively dry
atmospheric air for
prolonged periods can be
very harmful to the body.
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Water regulates the functioning of the cardiovascular system
and digestion, is a solvent for salt and minerals, means of
transport for nutrients and degradation products. For our
metabolisms to function, the body has to have enough water
available at all times.
Our brains also need water all the time to think. In what is
surely the most important organ of the body, brain matter is
made up of 85 to 90% water.
Water fulfils another important function in heat regulation.
Two to three litres of water are lost per day through sweating,
breathing and our excretions. If this value is higher in sick
people, the water balance has to be monitored by a doctor
and if necessary liquids introduced intravenously to avoid
dehydration. A lack of water can lead to life-threatening states.
Unlike camels in the desert, we are unable to store water for
long periods. Therefore, each loss of water must be balanced
out on a daily basis through nutrition and the intake of liquids,
in illness this can occur by means of infusions if necessary.
Otherwise our bodies react with sensitive disruptions. We feel
thirsty even at liquid losses of 0.5%. At 2%, the physical and
mental operational capacity is reduced. From 5%, our body
temperatures increase, and in the event of a loss of water
of 10% of our body weight, severe symptoms such as blood
thickening, confusion or circulatory failure may occur. Through
failures of the nervous and circulatory systems, a deficit of over
20% leads to death.
Note: We can survive without food for about four weeks
depending on fat reserves, but we can only survive without
water for a few days. A desert climate significantly accelerates
this process. Excessively dry atmospheric air for prolonged
periods is similar!
THE EFFECTS OF DRY AIR
Dissemination of viruses in dry air: There are three ways in
which we can get infected by viruses: The exchange of body
fluids, smear infection; or droplet infection.
RACA Journal I January 2019
77