ABSTRACT
Aluminum and in particular its compounds make up a large proportion of the pollutants coming from the aluminum foundry. In several studies conducted on the harmful effects of aluminum in recent decades, it has been identified as a neurotoxic metal. Chronic occupational exposure through inhalation of dust is a common problem in aluminum foundries. Investigation of the exposure of various occupational groups in two aluminum foundry plants to aluminum aerosols. To study the occupational exposure of foundry workers to respirable aerosols of aluminum, personal sampling was conducted from the breathing zone of 63 workers at two foundries in the south of Tehran city following NIOSH method No. 0600. Then samples were treated using NIOSH Institute optimized method No. 7013 and analyzed by high sensitivity graphite atomic absorption.Collected data were analyzed with SPSS V.16 statistical software using an independent sample t-test and ANOVA. The average of aluminum respirable aerosols in A and B factories were 3.21 +/- 2.33 and 3.31 +/- 2.15 mg/m[3] respectively. The one-way ANOVA indicated that occupational exposure among various occupational groups [Similar Exposure Group] in Foundry A had no significant difference [p=0.089], but differences between the exposure of melting and assembling groups in Foundry B are significant [p=0.044]. In general, in exposure frequency to aerosols in aluminum foundries, a significant difference was observed between melting and assembling groups [p=0.005] as well among abrading and assembling groups [p=0.02]. Most of the exposures to aluminum in foundry workers exceeded the current limits given by ACGIH Institute and the Iranian occupational exposure limits. According to the occupational exposure of both foundries and the absence of differences among variables involved in the exposure, the high exposure of melting and abrading groups compared to assembling groups can be attributed to the nature of these units in the production of aluminum aerosols.