Dust in the underground railway tunnels of an Italian town.

This article assesses hazards associated with exposure to dust in tunnels and platforms of the A and B lines of Rome's underground railway and provides an informed opinion on the risks to workers and the travelling public of exposure to tunnel dust. The study focused on the analysis and measurement of dust granulometric classes PM10, respirable fraction, respirable combustible dust, and the organic, metallic, siliceous, and fibrous components. Comparing the measurement values from the tunnels and platforms with those found at the entrances to the underground railway stations, it emerges that dust concentration in the tunnels and platforms is three times higher, with a maximum PM10 value of 479 microg/m3. Averaged over 24 hours, in relation to the above ground levels, drivers and station staff are exposed to an additional value of 11 microg/m3 and 10 microg/m3, respectively. If commuters were to remain in the trains or on the station platforms, the 24-hour average exposure would increase by 3 microg/m3. Iron and silica were the major components found in the dust. The use of silica sand in the emergency braking system of the carriages is capable of causing a dispersion of quartz in the air in percentages varying from 5% to 14%. Methods are suggested in this article for the reduction of dust dispersion.

[Indoor pollution from airborne glass fibers in biomedical research laboratories]. / Inquinamento "indoor" da fibre vetrose (MMMF) aerodisperse in laboratori di ricerca biomedica.

It is known that the presence of fibers in indoor environment is able to lead to irritative symptoms of skin and mucous membranes. Such troubles have been repeatedly claimed by workers in biomedical research laboratories of our University. For this reason, an investigation for the evaluation of the risk and for propose preventional solutions has been performed (also for absolve fully to D.Lgs. 626/94). On account of the environmental investigations has been revealed the presence of rock wool fibers-included in a water lime matrix-sprayed in big quantity on the ceilings. Therefore, the phases and the methods followed for the analysis of the risks are showed together with evaluations in order to the preventional interventions, also on the basis of what has been established by the lawgiver.

[Control of refractory dust in the continuous casting of steel]. / La lotta contro le polveri di refrattari nelle acciaierie con colata continua.

Dusts from refractory material are indicated as determining steel plant work site pollutions. To reduce the danger from the dustiest operation--the demolition of coating--the A. examines the possibility of technical prevention based not on the individual protection, but on the use of lower content in free silica materials, on operative ways that underexpose the workers and on the aspiration at source of the produced dust.

[Possibility of siliceous pollution in goldsmith workshops]. / Possibilità di inquinamenti silicotigeni nei laboratori di oreficeria.

The AA. carried out a research in order to determine the entity and the localization of siliceous dust pollution in goldsmith-field in the industrial area near by Valenza Po, Northern Italy. The research put attention just on the microfusion process and it was carried out among factories that attend to this process continuously. In fact the "scagliola" is used only during microfusion. It is a sort of mixture containing a high quantity of quartz and cristobalite used for the moulding. Dangerous dusts are caused by the mentioned "scagliola" during stripping and mixing. The use of right technical precautionary measures can surely eliminate the risk.