An analysis of characteristics of exposure to nanoparticles in a workplace manufacturing iron oxide nanoparticles / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the characteristics of exposure to iron oxide nanoparticles in workplace.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The real-time particle number (NC), surface area (SAC), and mass (MC) concentrations of nanoparticles were measured in various locations of a selected workplace manufacturing iron oxide nanoparticles. The collected particles were analyzed for morphology and elemental composition.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average NCs and SACs in milling site (16,566 pt/cm3, 106.082 µm2/cm3), packaging site (12,386 pt/cm3, 89.861 µm2/cm3), shipping site (13,808 pt/cm3, 102.071 µm2/cm3), and product storage room (17,192 pt/cm, 115.044 µm2/cm3) of the yellow powder (α-Fe2O3 . nH2O) were all significantly higher than the workplace background concentrations (11,420 pt/cm3, 85.026 µm2/cm3) (all P<0.05). The NC was highly correlated with the SAC (r= 0.784), while both NC and SAC were loosely correlated with the MC (r1=0.323, r2=0.331). Scanning electron microscopy revealed a spindle-like shape of the iron oxide nanoparticle; the chemical composition of the collected particles contained 19.33 weight percent iron (Fe).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The milling site and product storage room of the yellow powder are exposed to a higher concentration of nanoparticles, which are mainly composed of iron oxide nanoparticles. The NC is highly correlated with the SAC.</p>