Municipal waste incinerators: air and biological monitoring of workers for exposure to particles, metals, and organic compounds.

AIMS: To evaluate occupational exposure to toxic pollutants at municipal waste incinerators (MWIs). METHODS: Twenty nine male subjects working near the furnaces in two MWIs, and 17 subjects not occupationally exposed to combustion generated pollutants were studied. Individual air samples were taken throughout the shift; urine samples were collected before and after. Stationary air samples were taken near potential sources of emission. RESULTS: Occupational exposure did not result in the infringement of any occupational threshold limit value. Atmospheric exposure levels to particles and metals were 10-100 times higher in MWIs than at the control site. The main sources were cleaning operations for particles, and residue transfer and disposal operations for metals. MWI workers were not exposed to higher levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons than workers who are routinely in contact with vehicle exhaust. The air concentrations of volatile organic compounds and aldehydes were low and did not appear to pose any significant threat to human health. Only the measurement of chlorinated hydrocarbon levels would seem to be a reliable marker for the combustion of plastics. Urine metal levels were significantly higher at plant 1 than at plant 2 because of high levels of pollutants emanating from one old furnace. CONCLUSION: While biological monitoring is an easy way of acquiring data on long term personal exposure, air monitoring remains the only method that makes it possible to identify the primary sources of pollutant emission which need to be controlled if occupational exposure and environmental pollution are to be reduced.

Urinary hexane diamine as an indicator of occupational exposure to hexamethylene diisocyanate.

The occupational exposure of 19 men to hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) vapour was monitored during one 8-h shift. It ranged from 0.30 to 97.7 micrograms/m3. This was compared with the urinary output of hexane diamine (HDA) liberated by acid hydrolysis from its conjugates in post-shift samples. The excretion varied from 1.36 to 27.7 micrograms g creatinine, and there was a linear association of HDI air concentration with urinary HDA excretion. The validity of the urinary analysis was confirmed by simultaneous blind analysis in another laboratory. The results had an excellent linear concordance. Thus, it seems that while the gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric detection method requires sophisticated apparatus, the results are very useful to occupational health practices. A biological exposure index limit of 19 micrograms HDA/g creatinine in a post-shift urine specimen is proposed as an occupational limit level of HDI monomer (time-weighted average = 75 micrograms/m3). Most importantly, biological monitoring of HDA is sensitive enough to be used at and below the current allowable exposure limit levels.

Environmental stresses and strains in an extreme situation: the repair of electrometallurgy furnaces.

Whenever continuous casting furnace breaks down, the emergency intervention necessary to repair it has to be carried out under exceptional environmental conditions caused mainly by heat, as the furnace must be stopped for the shortest possible time. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the stresses and strains to which boilermakers are subjected during the replacement of an electrode element of a 20 MW furnace. The thermal stress was evaluated by the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index. CO2 was measured continuously at the furnace periphery and sporadically in the center of the furnace using an electrochemical method, while CO was also measured in both areas, using Dräger tubes. Dusts were sampled by a CPM3 (Andersen particle fractionating sampler) and a CIP10 (personal sampler). The strain was evaluated by continuous ECG recording with an Aclan IFC 85, breathing performance was assessed with an HI 298 microspirometer, and blood oxygen saturation was evaluated using a Biox oximeter. Thermal stresses are extreme: WBGT was 55 degrees C in the furnace center and 34 degrees C in the furnace periphery. In spite of the ventilation, the reduction in heat during the 6 h of the intervention was negligible and did not provide sufficient cooling. The analysis of gases and dusts were of minor interest, although the mean CO level at the furnace periphery was 40 ppm, with a peak level of 140 ppm in furnace center. CO2 and SO2 levels did not exceed TLV-TWA and TLV-Stel values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Levels of lead, cadmium and mercury in the hair of inhabitants of the Nantes and Grenoble areas]. / Taux de plomb, de cadmium et de mercure dans les cheveux des habitants des régions de Nantes et de Grenoble.

Lead, cadmium and mercury were measured in the air of 398 inhabitants of the Grenoble area and 341 inhabitants of the Nantes area. The hair was washed with hor solution of EDTA, dissolved in nitric acid and analyzed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The average concentrations are 6,23 micrograms/g for lead, 0,40 microgram/g for cadmium and 1,06 microgram/g for mercury. There is no difference between found data of the two areas for lead and cadmium. Mercury levels are higher in the Nantes area. Lead content is higher in male hair than in female hair, but the difference is not significant. In the Grenoble area, mercury levels are higher in males than in females; the process is reversed in the Nantes area. We have found no relation between metal levels and age of persons, but lead content is high in the hair of people under ten. Artisans and mechanics have lead content higher than the general people, though exposed people to occupational risks is excluded. We have found to relation between metal in the hair and the size of the town. It seems that the use of tobacco is without influence. Mercury content is related to the eating of fish. It is not increased in the population because of dental amalgams.

[Exposure to anesthetic gases: risk and prevention]. / L'exposition aux gaz anesthésiques: risques et prévention.

Several studies published during the last fifteen years seem to demonstrate that major risks, i.e. congenital malformations in the offspring and increased rate of spontaneous abortions, are associated with occupational exposure to anesthetic gases (halothane and nitrous oxide) in operating rooms. In view of the severity of the potential risk, we have: 1) analyzed risk factors in the light of epidermiologic and experimental studies; 2) determined the threshold levels of air pollution for these risk factors; 3) analyzed the situation in the Grenoble Hospital and the means of dealing with it.