Characterization of the aerosol generated during abrasive blasting with copper slag

Details

• Personal Author:
  Seymour M ; Spear TM ; Stephenson D
• Description:
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that substitute materials be used for silica sand in abrasive blasting operations. Copper slag is commonly used as a substitute for silica sand. These slags have been reported to contain heavy metals. Our research aims were to identify exposure-related differences between slag sources, quantify health-related aerosol fractions for comparison with occupational exposure limits and correlate total and inhalable aerosol with metal concentrations. Two commercially available copper slags were used to perform indoor and outdoor abrasive blasting. Personal samples were collected using 37 mm cassettes and a Respicon sampler and analyzed for total, inhalable, thoracic and respirable aerosol and heavy metals. Lead and arsenic concentrations exceeded applicable OELs in 37 and 15 min, respectively. Inhalable and respirable aerosol concentrations exceeded applicable OELs in 15 min. Statistically significant differences between slag sources were found for arsenic, lead, chromium and titanium concentrations in the total, inhalable, thoracic and respirable fractions. Total and inhalable aerosol regressions with selected metals showed r2 values of 0.91-0.98. The results of this study raise questions concerning the efficacy of using copper slag as a substitute abrasive based solely on the premise that it contains <1% free silica. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Copper Dust Inhalation Exposure Metals Metals, Heavy Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Abrasive-blasting Abrasives Aerosol-particles Aerosol-sampling Author Keywords: Abrasive Blasting Copper-dust Copper Slag Abrasive Exposure-levels Exposure-limits Heavy-metals Inhalants Metal-compounds Metal-dusts Respirable-dust Sampling-methods Sand-blasters Sand-blasting Thorax

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• ISSN:
  0003-4878
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Montana ; OSHA Region 8 ; Utah
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  296-299
• Volume:
  46
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20038169
• Citation:
  Ann Occup Hyg, Inhaled Particles IX, 2002 Dec; 46(Suppl 1):296-299
• Contact Point Address:
  Terry M. Spear, School of Mines, Montana Tech of The University of Montana, 1300 West Park Street, Butte, MT 59701-8997 USA
• CAS Registry Number:
  Arsenic (CAS RN 7440-38-2) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3) ; Copper (CAS RN 7440-50-8) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Titanium (CAS RN 7440-32-6)
• Editor(s):
  Ogden T; Donaldson K; Cherry N
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2003
• Performing Organization:
  University of Utah
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19950701
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Occupational Hygiene, Inhaled Particles IX
• Supplement:
  1
• End Date:
  20020630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a021e4a66bced463c608cbdce6733db159caa18f490b0121f6b78ca521c6798c8d32384f6b2fecc649e64d4e7e1a5360bd93a6194f39e090758061ade875c0f4
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/191961/cdc_191961_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 71.91 KB ]