If you didn’t know, the first attempt to sterilize air in an operating theatre was recorded in 1867, when Sir Joseph Lister at Glasgow Royal Infirmary sprayed carbolic acid (phenol) to eliminate microbes from the air. That marked the first effort to sterilize air in medical history.

At that time, surgeons performed operations wearing tailcoats. There were no dressings or gauze, and surgical instruments were not sterilized. Operating theatres resembled auditoriums with wooden floors and spectators watching the procedures.

Over time, progress arrived. Air filtration systems based on the mechanical separation of microorganisms and particles were developed.

The first cleanroom standard was introduced in the United States in 1961, followed by the first European standard in 1983 – not that long ago.

Modern Approach to Clean Air in Hospital

Today, modern technical and technological advancements provide incomparably more efficient solutions. The goal remains the same – to ensure clean air in hospital environments. This purified air is now very close to sterile, though absolute sterility is not achieved.

A prime example of a cutting-edge medical facility is the Ferona Specialised Gynaecology Hospital in Novi Sad. This hospital specializes in gynecology, obstetrics, and in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Air quality has been recognized as a key success factor in IVF and in ensuring patient, newborn, and staff safety.

In line with standards, this hospital features hygienic air-handling units, HEPA filters, and all other equipment prescribed by regulation.

However, for those who care deeply about hygiene and the health of patients and employees, that wasn’t enough.

Why Clean Air in Hospital IVF Departments Is Especially Important

In IVF procedures, clean air plays a decisive role. Any air contaminant – whether micro-particles, microbes, or chemical pollutants, including odours – can affect the process outcomes. Numerous modern studies confirm this.

SEE ALSO: How Air Pollution Affects In Vitro Fertilisation

Maintaining air quality under such conditions is part of the daily routine. And clean air means far more than comfort.

Interestingly, the very beginnings of general hospital hygiene emerged from gynecology departments.

SEE ALSO: Ignaz Semmelweis – The Saviour of Mothers and Newborns

The Best Seek More Than Standards

During the first heating season, residential buildings in the Novi Sad district, where Ferona is located, used various solid and liquid fuels. Unfortunately, burning waste materials was also common. All of this caused unpleasant odours to penetrate the hospital premises.

For that reason, Ferona Hospital reached out to Marquis Intelligence to request a solution that would ensure impeccably clean air in hospital spaces. Marquis Intelligence already had extensive experience in hospital air treatment, with notable applications at the Institute for National Health in Podgorica, the Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases in Sremska Kamenica, and the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina in Novi Sad.

The project was agreed upon, with guaranteed efficiency in removing volatile organic compounds and odours clearly defined in the contract. In other words, this spotless hospital would no longer be affected by smoke odours from nearby households.

The best always follows standards – but also goes beyond them.

A Solution That Makes a Difference

Following its established 4D matrix methodology, Marquis Intelligence proposed an unconventional air-purification solution for the air-supply duct of the hygienic air-handling unit. The installed and proven system was based on the principle of bipolar ionisation. In this case, analysis showed that bipolar ionisation achieved through dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) would yield the best results – and it did.

SEE ALSO: Air Bipolar Ionisation – Similarities Between DBD and NP Technologies

The result is clean air in the hospital – minimal maintenance, maximum effects

The system for additional air purification was carefully designed and implemented by Marquis Intelligence. It provided effective odour neutralisation and improved both air and surface hygiene throughout the hospital. The installed equipment requires minimal maintenance while delivering maximum efficiency.

After commissioning, the air quality in Ferona Hospital improved significantly. Unpleasant odours were eliminated. The goal was achieved – impeccably clean air in hospital facilities that exceeds health safety and comfort standards.

Ferona Hospital – A Leader in Reproductive Medicine

For Ferona, clean air is not merely a technical requirement, but part of its medical ethics – an obligation to every patient and every new life beginning here.

It is no wonder that a hospital with such high standards, surpassing typical hygiene requirements, has been recognized nationally as a leader in reproductive medicine.

Ferona – a symbol of trust, life, and excellence.

The Ferona Specialised Gynaecology Hospital in Novi Sad ranked first in IVF for 2024/2025, according to HealthCare Quality Watch – Best Private Hospitals in the Republic of Serbia.

After months of independent voting by Serbian doctors, combined with patient satisfaction analysis and other objective factors, Ferona received this prestigious award from the Centre for Health Quality Promotion.

This year, Ferona celebrates ten years of dedicated service. Over that period, more than a thousand babies have been born there – and the Marquis Intelligence team is proud to have contributed to that success.

What Ferona Hospital in Novi Sad Says

“We are incredibly proud that our efforts and work have been recognised as highly professional and of outstanding quality. Behind us are ten years of service, thousands of babies born, and a dedicated team of doctors, nurses, and management who have given their knowledge, passion, and time. We will continue to work and improve, to make this world a better and brighter place for every new life and the smiles that give us hope back.

Thank you for your trust – we will do our best to honour it and become even better.”
– Ferona Hospital Statement

Conclusion

Microbiological monitoring of air and surfaces has been satisfactory and has remained so, which is the foundation of every IVF/medical facility. The key challenge was an olfactometric issue, which was resolved after implementing our solution.

This article is part of the “Mini Case Study” series by Marquis Intelligence.
Document ID: MI-MCS-05.4Q-25
Document Title: Mini Case Study: Impeccably Clean Air in a Hospital in Novi Sad

The post Mini Case Study: Impeccably Clean Air in Hospital in Novi Sad appeared first on Marquis Intelligence.

Tragedy in Vienna

At the First Obstetrics Clinic of the Vienna General Hospital, Ignaz Semmelweis began his work as an assistant on July 1, 1846. The clinic operated in two shifts that alternated continuously around the clock. One shift led by physicians and the other by midwives. The contrast between them soon revealed itself in devastating ways.

Mortality among mothers and newborns was dramatically unequal, for far more deaths occurred during the physicians’ shift, and the Encyclopaedia Britannica records that the death rate of mothers under their care reached as high as 25–30 per cent. That meant that nearly one in three women did not survive childbirth when doctors were in charge.

By contrast, mortality in the midwives’ shift remained significantly lower. This stark difference forced desperate women to wait outside the hospital gates during the physicians’ shift, hoping to endure until the midwives came on duty, since they knew their chances of survival were far greater once they entered under the care of the midwives.

How Ignaz Semmelweis Made His Discovery

The turning point came in May 1847. His friend Professor Kolletschke died from an infection after a wound during an autopsy.

Semmelweis realized that doctors carried “decay particles” from the morgue to the maternity ward. In June 1847, he introduced mandatory handwashing with a solution of chlorinated lime.

The results were dramatic. Mortality fell below 2%.

Ignaz Semmelweis Presents His Discoveries

Semmelweis’s observations began to spread through the works and lectures of his colleagues. On May 15, 1850, he personally presented his findings before the Vienna Medical Society (Gesellschaft der Ärzte in Wien) in an oral lecture.

Despite solid proof, many colleagues refused to accept that their own practices were killing patients.

Florence Nightingale, about whom we wrote earlier, also took pioneering steps in medical hygiene, ventilation, and the collection and use of statistical data.

See also: Clean Air Heals: Florence Nightingale

Resistance and Tragic End

The resistance to his discoveries was fierce. Many physicians perceived his conclusions as direct personal accusation.

In 1861, he published his book “The Aetiology, Concept, and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever”. Yet despite the undeniable data, his work was met with ridicule and outright rejection.

In the summer of 1865, colleagues lured him under the pretext of a medical examination to a Viennese asylum for the mentally ill. Although some accounts suggest that fellow doctors themselves assaulted him before sending him there, official records tell a slightly different story.

According to the official version, guards in the asylum beat him, and the injury he sustained on his hand became infected. Two weeks later, on August 13, 1865, Ignaz Semmelweis died of sepsis. Tragically, the very disease he had fought against his entire life.

Lesson from the Past

Even Hippocrates had observed the link between disease and the air we breathe:
“Some diseases come from the way we live; others from the very air we inhale.”

In the 19th century, unwashed hands claimed countless lives, and the neglect of basic hygiene repeatedly turned into widespread tragedy.

Much later, in 1978, the death of Janet Parker, the last officially recognised victim of smallpox, infected by a virus that spread through a ventilation system, offered yet another grim warning.

See also: Janet Parker: Victim of a Deadly Virus from Ventilation

The story did not end with Semmelweis or with Janet Parker.

More recently, the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic, when the virus spread through the air and claimed millions of lives.

But was it inevitable? Could history lessons have prepared us better?

We should have already learned that air can be deadly, but it can also be life-saving.

What About Today?

History has a way of repeating itself.

Even today, mistakes still occur, and many people continue to resist the simple truth that air is the foundation of life, health, and success.

Marquis Intelligence has faced situations that echo the lessons of the past. A few years ago, the company received specifications for designing an additional air purification solution for a general hospital. The technical team at Marquis Intelligence approached the task with its trademark professionalism and precision, immediately noticing that both the neonatal ward and the morgue were connected to the same ventilation system, sharing the same air-handling unit.

The team instantly recalled the example of Ignaz Semmelweis and flagged this configuration as unacceptable. The project designer carefully reviewed the detailed expertise and reasoning provided by Marquis Intelligence and accepted it without objection. In doing so, a potentially tragic outcome was prevented.

Marquis Intelligence – Case from Practice

Today, we understand the critical importance of air quality for human health, including reproductive health and the success of in vitro fertilization. Over the decades, Marquis Intelligence has improved air quality in dozens of healthcare institutions across the region. Among them, one stands out for its importance even though it is not large in size – the private Special Gynaecology Hospital Ferona in Novi Sad.

This institution pays special attention to hygiene in every sense, and air hygiene is no exception. Although the clinic had already implemented the highest levels of filtration with HEPA filters in its ventilation systems, its leadership decided to bring in Marquis Intelligence for additional improvements. The reason was apparent: this hospital has built a reputation for successfully carrying out in vitro fertilisation procedures, and in that process, every single egg cell is precious.

We have already written about the importance of air quality for in vitro fertilization.

See also: The Stunning Impact of Air Pollution on In Vitro Fertilization Success

With a turnkey approach, Marquis Intelligence installed an advanced air treatment system using dielectric barrier discharge technology. The system included an automatic control loop to monitor air quality and adjust operations in real time. As a result, all odors from volatile organic compounds in outside air were eliminated.

Thanks to this approach and a comprehensive focus on hygiene, including air hygiene, the Ferona Specialized Gynecology Hospital strengthened its reputation and was recognized as the best private hospital in Serbia in the field of in vitro fertilization for 2024/2025. This award proves that outstanding results in reproductive health are impossible without carefully controlled air quality.

Cultural Heritage

Ignaz Semmelweis is remembered in culture as well. His statue stands in front of the Medical University in Budapest, and his bust is displayed at the Medical Faculty in Vienna. His life and work have been featured in documentaries, while educational series and animations portray him as a pioneer of hygiene and the doctor who saved countless lives.

History, Present, and Future

Ignaz Semmelweis showed how one pioneer can change the course of medicine. More than 160 years later, the lesson remains clear. Hygiene and air quality are essential for health.

Marquis Intelligence connects these historical lessons with modern expertise. The company is a pioneer in solving ventilation and air purification challenges in the region. Through its 4D Matrix, it provides tailor-made solutions and proves performance parameters in hospitals, clinics, and sterile zones. Today, Marquis Intelligence is a recognized brand for expert solutions that ensure safety, health, and sustainability.

Sources:
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Ignaz Semmelweis
Wikipedia: Ignaz Semmelweis
The British Journal of Psychiatry (Cambridge): Epidemics: wash your hands! The asylum delivery and violent death of Ignaz Semmelweis
Cambridge Univ. Press: Semmelweis and his predecessors
Semmelweis University Library: Years in Vienna
Dr Alanna Collen: 10% Human

This text is part of the “Learn More About Air Through History and People” series from the Marquis Intelligence archive.
Document: MI-LAH-007.25 – Ignaz Semmelweis: Saviour of Mothers and Newborns

The post Ignaz Semmelweis: Savior of Mothers and Newborns appeared first on Marquis Intelligence.

Werner Schröder, born on July 31, 1931, was the founder of Bioclimatic GmbH, Germany. An engineer by vocation. A designer and innovator by nature and interest. A pioneer in the field of bipolar air ionisation based on Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD). His work and his vision left an indelible mark. In the industry, in spaces, but also in people.

Career beginnings

At the start of his career, he worked at the Varta battery factory. As a young engineer, he also participated in the construction and launch of a battery production plant in Peć, Kosovo. In the early 1970s, he began developing the prototypes of devices for bipolar air ionisation. The idea first started in his home workspace.

Determined and courageous, Werner Schröder founded Bioclimatic GmbH on July 4, 1978, in the small town of Bad Nenndorf, Germany. A city once visited for treatment by Jérôme Bonaparte, Napoleon Bonaparte’s youngest brother. Known for its thermal springs, sulfur mud baths, and the rare Süntele beech avenue, a native tree species whose low-growing branches take root when touching the ground, much like how DBD technology, developed by Schröder, took root in this very location and spread around the world.

Today, we know that clean, high-quality air plays a crucial role in promoting healing. Werner Schröder understood this. And he went even further. He brought the natural air purification process indoors. His development of DBD technology, which mimics nature’s ionisation processes, made indoor spaces safer and healthier.

A global innovation

His mission didn’t stop there. In the early 1990s, he was granted a worldwide patent for the purification of exhaust air using photochemical and catalytic oxidation.

Bioclimatic GmbH is today the only DBD manufacturer that also includes silver-plated tubes for bipolar air ionization in its product portfolio, proving its technical depth and innovation capacity.

SEE ALSO: Bipolar air ionization: Similarities between DBD and NP technologies

SEE ALSO: Bipolar Air Ionisation – First Page of Google

SEE ALSO: FAQ – Bipolar Air Ionization

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the market was flooded with unverified solutions and marketing claims, Bioclimatic remained committed to science and evidence. The company maintained its leadership position.

Legacy and continuity

Today, the company is led by his successor Marion Krome, who continues what her father started, with the same dedication and integrity. Throughout his life, Werner Schröder had the selfless support of his wife, Ursula, and he is remembered in the family circle by his second daughter, Silke Goldstein, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Werner Schröder was one of the rare people who would listen, think, and then act. He knew how to pick up the phone and call our team in Serbia, asking, above all, Gordana, whom he deeply respected, “Gordana, what would you do if you were in my place?“ That was mutual respect, from day one.

Oldest Bioclimatic Partner

Intelligence is today the longest-standing partner of Bioclimatic. The collaboration extends beyond technical matters—it is strategic and visionary in nature. United by a shared mission: that clean air is not a luxury but a basic human need.

SEE ALSO: Partner par excellence – who and why

SEE ALSO: Brit List Award for Best Technical Solution

A vision that breathes on

In the days when we commemorate his birthday, we do not speak of an end—but of a legacy that lives on. His work lives in every space where people breathe more easily.

As Werner Schröder used to say: “Fresh air in your rooms is like miniature thunderstorms!”

Sources:

• Bioclimatic GmbH – About Us
• Kompany.com – Bioclimatic GmbH incorporation
• Nenndorf.de – History of Bad Nenndorf
• Outdooractive.com – Schlösschen in Bad Nenndorf
• Archiv der IHK Niedersachsen

This text is part of the “Learn About the Air Through History & People” series from the Marquis Intelligence archive.
Document: MI-LAH-004.25 – Werner Schröder – Visionary of Clean Air

The post Werner Schröder – Visionary of Clean Air appeared first on Marquis Intelligence.

The post Clean Air Heals: Florence Nightingale appeared first on Marquis Intelligence.

Air pollution is a global challenge that knows no borders. It is the most significant environmental risk to human health, while also threatening climate stability, reducing economic growth, and decreasing agricultural productivity. It is everyone’s responsibility to help protect our atmosphere and ensure healthy air for all.

By collectively investing time, resources, and effort, we can reduce air pollution and achieve transformative change.

Health and Climate Risks of Air Pollution

Air pollution has serious health consequences. Microscopic particles penetrate deep into our lungs and bloodstream, contributing to about one-third of all deaths from stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, and lung cancer. These particles are also responsible for a quarter of all heart attack cases. Additionally, ground-level ozone, which forms from the interaction of pollutants and sunlight, triggers asthma and other chronic respiratory problems.

On the climate side, short-lived air pollutants such as black carbon and methane immediately threaten health while significantly contributing to global warming. Though they remain in the atmosphere for a short time, reducing these pollutants can bring near-instant benefits for both health and the climate. (You can read more about this in our blog: Short-lived Climate Pollutants: A Critical Threat to Our Planet.)

A Global Challenge Demanding Urgent Action

Air pollution is a global issue affecting millions of people worldwide. Pollutants travel long distances, causing widespread harm. Without swift and decisive action, the number of premature deaths caused by outdoor air pollution is projected to rise by more than 50% by 2050. Vulnerable populations, particularly women, children, and the elderly in developing nations, are disproportionately affected, especially those using solid fuels for cooking and heating.

The societal cost of air pollution is enormous, impacting health, economies, productivity, and healthcare systems. Investing in pollution control brings health benefits and significant economic returns, indicating a solid economic rationale for immediate action.

Clean Air and Sustainable Development Goals

Air pollution is particularly prevalent in urban areas in developing countries, where pollution levels often exceed World Health Organization guidelines. Improving air quality is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the context of sustainable cities and communities.

The United Nations recognizes the urgent need to reduce deaths and illnesses caused by air, water, and soil pollution by 2030. Enhancing air quality contributes to public health and climate change mitigation.

International Days as Opportunities for Action

International days like the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies offer an opportunity to raise awareness, mobilize resources, and reinforce political will to tackle global challenges. We invite you to join this international initiative and invest in clean air for a healthier, brighter future for all.

Source: UN – International Day of Clean Air

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