Monitoring concentrations of select metals in workplace smelter airborne particulates using a Grimm 1.109 Real-time Portable Aerosol Spectrometer (original) (raw)

Abstract

Particulates containing hazardous metals and metal fumes are common in the metal smelting industry. Exposure of workers to these smelter particulates has been documented to lead to adverse health effects. In this study, select metals contained in respirable, PM10, and total dust samples where correlated to readings of a Grimm 1.109 aerosol measuring instrument in an effort to see if with the use of correction factors the metals can be accurately determined when compared to metal concentrations reported by the laboratory analysis of respirable, PM10, and total dust samples. In all, there were 16 sampling events, with three respirable, three PM10, and three total dust samples collected during each sampling event. The four metals of particular interest analyzed by the laboratory were cadmium, arsenic, lead, and copper. To more accurately and precisely determine metal concentrations when using the Grimm 1.109 with correction factors, further sampling is needed with the collection of process variables such as ore feedstock metal concentrations, process operation parameters, and weather conditions that can be included into linear regression models. Statistical model results suggest that this methodology of using metal specific correction factors to adjust Grimm 1.109 measured particulate matter concentrations to determine the selected metal concentrations in a smelter environment are within statistically accepted criteria and can be used to determine the metal concentrations in the smelter industry.

Loading...

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

References (21)

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Industries at a Glance: Primary Metal Manufactur- ing. 2009, Publication No. NAICS 331. http://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag 331.html (accessed 5/14/2009).
  2. Lubin, J. H.; Pottern, L. M.; Stone, B. J.; Fraumeni, J. F. Respiratory cancer in a cohort of copper smelter workers: re- sults from more than 50 years of follow- up. Am. J. Epidemiol. 2000, 151, 554- 565.
  3. Ades, A. E.; Kazantzis, G. Lung cancer in a non-ferrous smelter: the role of cadmium. Br. J. Ind. Med. 1988, 47, 435-442.
  4. Jarup, L.; Pershagen, G.; Wall, S. Cumu- lative arsenic exposure and lung cancer in smelter workers: a dose-response study. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2007, 15, 31-41.
  5. Cheng, Y. H. Comparison of the TSI Model 8520 and Grimm Series 1.108 portable aerosol instruments used to monitor particulate matter in an iron foundry. J. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 2008, 5, 157-168.
  6. Grimm, H.; Eatough, D. Aerosol mea- surement: the use of optical light scattering for the determination of particulate size distribution, and parti- culate mass, including the semi-volatile fraction. J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc. 2009, 59, 101-107.
  7. Peters, T. M.; Ott, D.; O'Shaughnessy, P. T. Comparison of the Grimm 1.108 and 1.109 Portable Aerosol Spectro- meter to the TSI 3321 aerodynamic particle sizer for dry particles. Am. Occup. Hyg. 2008, 50, 843-850.
  8. Parker, J. L.; Larson, R. R.; Eskelson, E.; Wood, E. M.; Veranth, J. M. Particle size distribution and composition in a me- chanically ventilated school building during air pollution episodes. Indoor Air, 2008, 18(5), 386-393.
  9. Weinbruch, S.; Dirsch, T.; Ebert, M.; Hofmann, H.; Kandler, K. Dust expo- sure in indoor climbing halls. J. Envir- on. Monit. 2008, 10, 648-654.
  10. Capes, G.; Coe, H.; Crosier, J.; Wil- liams, P. I.; Murphy, J.; Stewart, D.; Reeves, C.; Parker, D.; Pickering, M. Airborne aerosol measurements over west Africa during the AMMA SOP 1 and 2 field campaigns. Geophys. Res. Abstr. 2007, 9, 03944.
  11. Lehocky, A. H.; Williams, P. L. Com- parison of respirable samplers to direct- reading real-time aerosol monitors for measuring coal dust. Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 1996, 57, 1013-1018.
  12. Kuusisto, P. Evaluation of the direct reading instruments for the measure- ments of aerosols. Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 1983, 44, 863-874.
  13. Tsai, C. J.; Shih, T. S.; Lin, J. D. Laboratory testing of three direct-read- ing dust monitors. Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 1996, 57, 557-563.
  14. Stephenson, D. J.; Spear, T. M.; Lutte, M. G. Comparison of sampling methods to measure exposure to diesel particu- late matter in an underground metal mine. Min. Eng. 2006, 58(8), 39-45.
  15. Chen, B. T.; Tang, J. A.; Yeh, H. C. A new technique to calibrate optical particle counters aerodynamically. Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 1990, 51, 32- 35.
  16. Gorner, P.; Bemer, D.; Fabries, J. F. Photometer measurement of polydis- perse aerosols. J. Aerosol Sci. 1995, 26, 1281-1302.
  17. Center for Disease Control,; National Institute for Occupational and Indus- trial Health. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards; DHHS (NIOSH), 2007 Publication No. 2005-149.
  18. Center for Disease Control,; National Institute for Occupational and Indus- trial Health. NIOSH Manual of Analy- tical Methods (NMAM), 4th ed. DHHS (NIOSH);
  19. Cincinnati, OH, 1994, Pub- lication 94-113.
  20. SKC. Operating Instructions.
  21. SKC Parallel Particle Impactors (PPI). SKC Document 38038 . 2002, http:// www.skcinc.com/instructions/38038\. pdf (accessed 5/14/2009).