Effects of Voltage and Wire Feed Speed on Weld Fume Characteristics

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hovde CA ; Raynor PC
• Description:
  Welding generates high concentrations of ultrafine particles, which research suggests may be more toxic than larger particles. Fume characteristics were measured in a controlled apparatus as a function of voltage level and wire feed speed. Particles were sampled close to the welding process on mixed cellulose ester membrane filters and analyzed for iron, manganese, and total particulate matter at an accredited industrial hygiene laboratory. An ultrafine condensation particle counter measured the particle number concentration, and an optical particle counter measured the particle size distribution. Submicrometer particle number concentrations and iron, manganese, and total particle mass concentrations all depended on voltage levels but not on wire feed speed at a constant voltage. Ultrafine particle concentrations were more than three times greater at 23.5 V than at 16 V. Particles 0.5-0.7 µ m in diameter counted by the optical particle counter increased from 9800 particles/cm3 at 16 V to 82,800 particles/cm3 at 23.5 V. Manganese concentration was 1.7 mg/m3 at 16 V vs. 6.4 mg/m3 at 23.5 V. The data suggest that welders should use lower voltage levels whenever possible. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Air Pollutants, Occupational Environmental Monitoring Hazardous Substances Inhalation Exposure Occupational Health Particulate Matter Respiratory System Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Welding

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• Keywords:
  Aerosol-particles Author Keywords: Iron Biohazards Biological-effects Exposure-assessment Exposure-levels Exposure-methods Filter-membranes Filters Fumes Inhalants Inhalation-studies Manganese Mathematical-models Microscopy Nanotechnology Particle-aerodynamics Particle-counters Particles Particulate-dust Particulate-sampling-methods Particulates Physiological-effects Quantitative-analysis Risk-analysis Risk-factors Statistical-analysis Voltage Voltage-regulation Volumetric-analysis Welding Welding-industry Wire Feed Speed

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• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Minnesota ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  4
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20037436
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2007 Oct; 4(12):903-912
• Contact Point Address:
  Peter C. Raynor, University of Minnesota, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Mayo MC 807, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
• Email:
  praynor@umn.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Iron (CAS RN 7439-89-6) ; Manganese (CAS RN 7439-96-5)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2008
• Performing Organization:
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:115159543402f7f436bad2049fa3724866d2b7a2f4d7b4e57e233b6f1d445f16ac69abf6bb580d5253222e20262b94c99da34fa5844dff39f82749b6f5b7640a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/188533/cdc_188533_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.32 MB ]