ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Acute and chronic exposure to xylene can result in a range of negative health effects. However, xylene is widely used and emitted in the air of workplaces. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate xylene vapor concentrations to guide the design and evaluation of a local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system to reduce exposure in a pesticide production factory. METHOD: A real time volatile organic compound (VOC) monitor was used to determine the workers' time-weighted average (TWA) exposure. A LEV system was designed, and then, workers' exposure to xylene vapor was evaluated. RESULTS: We found that worker's exposure to xylene (4·7±5·5 ppm) was lower than the standards recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and the Occupational safety and health administration (OSHA). Despite the low TWA exposures, the short-term exposures for some workers were higher than STEL levels. Three canopy hoods were designed and installed with capture velocities of 0·508 m second(-1) and duct velocity of 10·16 m second(-1). CONCLUSION: We found that an exhaust ventilation system had a significantly reduced occupational exposure to xylene vapor.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants, Occupational/analysis , Occupational Exposure/analysis , Occupational Exposure/prevention & control , Pesticides/toxicity , Ventilation/instrumentation , Workplace , Xylenes/analysis , Adult , Environmental Monitoring/instrumentation , Equipment Design , Humans , Iran , Male , Middle Aged , Occupational HealthABSTRACT
Today, many raw materials used in factories may have a dangerous effect on the physiological system of workers. One of them which is widely used in the polyurethane factories is diisocyanates. These compounds are widely used in surface coatings, polyurethane foams, adhesives, resins, elastomers, binders, and sealants. Exposure to diisocyanates causes irritation to the skin, mucous membranes, eyes, and respiratory tract. Hexamethylene diamine (HDA) is metabolite of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). It is an excretory material by worker's urine who is exposed to HDI. Around 100 air samples were collected from five defined factories by midget impinger which contained dimethyl sulfoxide absorbent as a solvent and tryptamine as reagent. Samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with EC\UV detector using NIOSH 5522 method of sampling. Also, 50 urine samples collected from workers were also analyzed using William's biological analysis method. The concentration of HDI into all air samples were more than 88 microg/m(3), and they have shown high concentration of pollutant in the workplaces in comparison with NIOSH standard, and all of the workers' urine were contaminated by HDA. The correlation and regression test were used to obtain statistical model for HDI and HDA, which is useful for the prediction of diisocyanates pollution situation in the polyurethane factories.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants, Occupational/analysis , Air Pollution, Indoor , Cyanates/toxicity , Diamines/urine , Industry , Occupational Exposure , Polyurethanes , Air Pollutants, Occupational/urine , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Cyanates/metabolism , Isocyanates , Models, StatisticalABSTRACT
Today many raw materials used in factories may have a dangerous effect on the physiological system of workers. One of them, which is widely used in the polyurethane factories, is diisocyanates. These compounds are widely used in surface coatings, polyurethane foams, adhesives, resins, elastomers, binders, and sealants. Exposure to diisocyanates causes irritation to the skin, mucous membranes, eyes, and respiratory tract. Methylene dianiline (MDA) is a metabolite of methylene diphenyle diisocyanate (MDI), an excretory material of worker's urine who are exposed to MDI. Around 100 air samples were collected among five factories by the Midget Impinger, which contained DMSO absorbent as a solvent and Tryptamine as a reagent. Samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with an EC\UV detector using the NIOSH 5522 method of sampling and analysis. Also, fifty urine samples were collected from workers by using William's biological analysis method. The concentration of MDI in all air samples was more than 88 mug/m(3), showing a high concentration of the pollutant in the workplaces in comparison with the NIOSH standard, and all the worker's urine was contaminated by MDA. The correlation and regression tests were used to obtain statistical model for MDI and MDA that is useful for prediction of diisocyanates pollution situation in the polyurethane factories.
