Occupational Exposure Assessment in Carbon Nanotube and Nanofiber Primary and Secondary Manufacturers: Mobile Direct-Reading Sampling.
Research Significance: Toxicological evidence suggests the potential for a wide range of health effects from exposure to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs). To date, there has been much focus on the use of direct-reading instruments (DRIs) to assess multiple airborne exposure metri...
| Published in: | Annals of Occupational Hygiene Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 328 - 345 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
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Oxford University Press / USA
Apr2013
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=86226314&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 86226314 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 00034878 JQ4 jtl: Annals of Occupational Hygiene issn: 00034878 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Apr2013 vid: 57 iid: 3 pid: 622 pub: Oxford University Press / USA artinfo: ui: 86226314 104254848 104254848 10.1093/annhyg/mes079 86226314 ppf: 328 ppct: 17 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Occupational Exposure Assessment in Carbon Nanotube and Nanofiber Primary and Secondary Manufacturers: Mobile Direct-Reading Sampling. aug: au: Dahm, Matthew M. Evans, Douglas E. Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K. Birch, M. Eileen Deddens, James A. affil: Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Industrywide Studies Branch, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, MS-R14, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA sug: subj: Occupational Exposure Nanotechnology Air Pollution, Indoor Nanoparticles Adverse Effects Carbon Adverse Effects Environmental Monitoring Human Microscopy, Electron Data Analysis Software Post Hoc Analysis Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient Descriptive Statistics Time Series Repeated Measures Photometry Industry Funding Source ab: Research Significance: Toxicological evidence suggests the potential for a wide range of health effects from exposure to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs). To date, there has been much focus on the use of direct-reading instruments (DRIs) to assess multiple airborne exposure metrics for potential exposures to CNTs and CNFs due to their ease of use and ability to provide instantaneous results. Still, uncertainty exists in the usefulness and interpretation of the data. To address this gap, air-monitoring was conducted at six sites identified as CNT and CNF manufacturers or users and results were compared with filter-based metrics. Methods: Particle number, respirable mass, and active surface area concentrations were monitored with a condensation particle counter, a photometer, and a diffusion charger, respectively. The instruments were placed on a mobile cart and used as area monitors in parallel with filter-based elemental carbon (EC) and electron microscopy samples. Repeat samples were collected on consecutive days, when possible, during the same processes. All instruments in this study are portable and routinely used for industrial hygiene sampling. Results: Differences were not observed among the various sampled processes compared with concurrent indoor or outdoor background samples while examining the different DRI exposure metrics. Such data were also inconsistent with results for filter-based samples collected concurrently at the same sites [Dahm MM, Evans DE, Schubauer-Berigan MK et al. (2012) Occupational exposure assessment in CNT and nanofiber primary and secondary manufacturers. Ann Occup Hyg; 56: 542–56]. Significant variability was seen between these processes as well as the indoor and outdoor backgrounds. However, no clear pattern emerged linking the DRI results to the EC or the microscopy data (CNT and CNF structure counts). Conclusions: Overall, no consistent trends were seen among similar processes at the various sites. The DRI instruments employed were limited in their usefulness in assessing and quantifying potential exposures at the sampled sites but were helpful for hypothesis generation, control technology evaluations, and other air quality issues. The DRIs employed are nonspecific, aerosol monitors, and, therefore, subject to interferences. As such, it is necessary to collect samples for analysis by more selective, time-integrated, laboratory-based methods to confirm and quantify exposures. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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