Environmental characterization and mortality experience of attapulgite clay workers.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ness GO ; Waxweiler, Richard J. ; Zumwalde, Ralph D.
• Description:
  A retrospective cohort study of attapulgite (12174117) clay mill and mine workers at Engelhard Minerals and Chemicals Corporation (SIC- 1454) was carried out, and environmental samples were collected and analyzed. All men who worked for at least 1 month during 1940 through 1975 at the facility made up the cohort. The vital status of less than 6 percent of the workers had not been determined. Death certificates were obtained for most of the workers known to have died; the underlying cause of death was coded based on these certificates. General air samples, personal breathing zone air samples, and settled dust samples were analyzed for free silica (7631869) and trace metals. Particulates were subjected to electron microscope characterization. Iron (7439896) was the only trace metal found in any appreciable quantity. Free silica exposures were within the NIOSH recommended limit of 0.05mg/m3 as a time weighted average (TWA), and respirable dust concentrations were below the OSHA standard of 5mg/m3 as a TWA. The main constituent of samples was attapulgite clay. Individual attapulgite fibers ranged from 0.1 to 2.5 microns in length and 0.02 to 0.1 micron in diameter.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Biochemistry Chemistry Energy Metabolism Hazardous Substances Histology Laboratories Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Airborne-particles Epidemiology Fibrous-dusts Humans Mineral-dusts Mortality-rates NIOSH-Author Particulate-dust
• Document Type:
  Text
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-33
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00171098
• Citation:
  NIOSH 1980 Oct; :1-33
• CAS Registry Number:
  Palygorskite ([Mg(Al0.5-1Fe0-0.5)]Si4(OH)O10.4H2O) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9) ; Iron (CAS RN 7439-89-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1981
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  1454 - Fullers Earth - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:dffae1084870426760522abec36ead4b3f2e02964686e82cbe1acdbe7e9d40d5eb61a630c33eec81f55e20b8e8c5fe634cbcaf57225babaa26e7f20027e9b410
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/179980/cdc_179980_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.10 MB ]