Dermal exposure to electroplating fluids and metalworking fluids in the UK.

This paper describes workplace dermal exposure measurements that were carried out by the Health and Safety Laboratory as part of the EU RISKOFDERM project. Exposure to metalworking fluids (MWFs) was measured at three sites on 25 subjects who were 'mechanically treating solid objects' as they loaded and supervised milling and boring machines and lathes. Thirty-one samples were obtained, of which 18 were exposures to neat mineral oils and 13 to water-oil mixes. All subjects wore Tyvek whole-body oversuits that were analysed in their entirety to extract the MWF. The geometric mean surface loading rate of the 31 oversuits was 62 micro g/cm(2)/h (GSD = 4.6) and of the seven pairs of sampling gloves (worn inside protective gloves) was 2900 micro g/cm(2)/h (GSD = 1.67). Exposure to electroplating fluids was measured at three sites on 27 subjects who were dipping objects into tanks of either chromic acid, nickel sulphate, copper sulphate, copper cyanide or zinc hydroxide. All subjects wore Tyvek whole-body oversuits that were surface scanned over their areas using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to detect all the metal atoms simultaneously. Contamination was assessed using the method of Dirichlet tessellation. The geometric mean surface loading rate of the 26 oversuits was 37 micro g/cm(2)/h (GSD = 3.5) and of the 25 pairs of sampling gloves (worn inside protective gloves) was 190 micro g/cm(2)/h (GSD = 2.75). Almost all of the electroplating samples were below the limit of quantification. More than one species of metal atoms was found on some of the samples afterwards, indicating cross-contamination from other baths during the sampling period.

Dermal exposure to dry powder spray paints using PXRF and the method of Dirichlet tesselations.

This paper describes workplace dermal exposure measurements that were carried out by the Health and Safety Laboratory as part of the EU RISKOFDERM project to measure dust contamination. Exposure to dry powder spray paints was measured at five sites on 12 subjects. Twenty-two samples were obtained, of which eight contained triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) and 14 did not. All subjects wore Tyvek whole body oversuits and some wore sampling gloves. These were either analysed in their entirety to extract the TGIC or surface scanned over representative areas using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (PXRF) to detect barium or titanium in the fillers of the paints. The method of Dirichlet tessellation was used to map the scans and the technique was developed further for these studies to extend measurements to gloves and to take limits of detection into consideration. The PXRF allowed dusts to be measured in situ that would otherwise be difficult to extract from the material and analyse by other means. The geometric mean surface loading rate of the 22 oversuits was 43 micro g/cm/(2)/h (GSD = 6.0) and of the 23 pairs of sampling gloves was 970 micro g/cm(2)/h (GSD = 8.6). Exposure patterns could be attributed to the arrangements of the subjects, spray booths and the workpieces. Similar exposures were found for TGIC and titanium fillers in factories with similar methods of ventilation.