Real-Time LEV Sensor Monitoring for Fume Hood Safety and Performance: A Case Study at the Department of Chemistry, Malaysia Headquarters

Abstract

Fume hoods are primary engineering controls for reducing laboratory personnel exposure to hazardous airborne chemicals; however, their effectiveness can be compromised by delayed, manual, and inconsistent airflow monitoring that allows abnormal operating conditions to persist. This study reports the deployment and evaluation of an automated Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) monitoring system across 43 chemical fume hoods at the Department of Chemistry, Malaysia Headquarters. The system provided continuous, real-time monitoring of ventilation parameters and incorporated chemometric analysis using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) to detect and classify operational anomalies. Performance was validated against handheld anemometer measurements (n = 215), showing strong agreement (R² = 0.98) and low mean error (0.012 m/s). Following implementation, anomaly detection lag decreased from an average of 14.5 hours to less than two minutes, and operational uptime increased to 99.5%. Optimized airflow control was associated with a 35% reduction in energy consumption. Cost–benefit analysis estimated a payback period of 2.2 years with projected annual savings of RM 274,250. User surveys indicated increased confidence in laboratory safety, system transparency, and compliance documentation. Overall, these findings support automated LEV monitoring as a practical approach to strengthening laboratory safety management, operational efficiency, and sustainability, with potential applicability to broader laboratory settings in Malaysia