Worker exposures to nitrosamines in a rubber vehicle sealing plant

Details

• Personal Author:
  Fajen, John M. ; Reh, Beth D.
• Description:
  The occupational nitrosamine exposures measured during a NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation conducted over two visits at an automotive rubber vehicle sealing factory were examined. General area (GA) and personal breathing zone (PBZ) samples were collected with air pumps and analyzed by gas chromatography. Bulk water samples were also collected and analyzed. During the first visit, the highest time weighted average (TWA) exposures detected in the GA samples were 37.7 micrograms per cubic meter (microg/m3) of nitrosodimethylamine (62759) (NDMA), 7.6microg/m3 of nitrosopiperidine (100754) (NPIP), and 0.37microg/m3 of nitrosomorpholine (59892). At follow up, the two highest PBZ exposures, 11.44microg/m3 of NDMA and 4.39microg/m3 of NPIP, were collected on salt bath line operators. At the time of follow up, NDMA concentrations detected in the GA samples ranged from 2.29microg/m3 to 88.47microg/m3 on the same day. Nitrosamines were not detected in the bulk water samples. GA sampling in the nonsmoking break room detected 10.37microg/m3 of NDMA, while in the smoking break room only 4.17microg/m3 of NDMA was detected. Problems with the ventilation system throughout the office, break, and work areas were observed. The authors conclude that workers in this factory are exposed to nitrosamines, mainly along the salt bath lines. Furthermore, NIOSH recommends that exposure be reduced to the lowest possible concentration by developing rubber stocks that do not contain nitrosamines and improving the ventilation system. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Amines Environmental Monitoring Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Rubber Safety Ventilation Workplace
• Keywords:
  Air-sampling Author Keywords: Nitrosamines Breathing-zone Industrial-hygiene NIOSH-Author Nitrosdimethylamine NOMA Occupational-exposure Rubber-workers Rubber Vehicle Sealing Salt Bath Curing Process Ventilation-systems Workplace-studies

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• ISSN:
  0002-8894
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• 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
• Volume:
  57
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00233645
• Citation:
  Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 1996 Oct; 57(10):918-923
• Contact Point Address:
  Beth Donovan Reh, Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, R- 11, Cincinnati, OH 45226
• CAS Registry Number:
  Nitrosomorpholine (CAS RN 59-89-2) ; N-Nitrosodimethylamine (CAS RN 62-75-9) ; N-Nitrosopiperidine (CAS RN 100-75-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1997
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ea5624a18f0295f1b5ddb8fabeb9bfe49dc670d3ed128f6a30cd84e7ea72e574a0c704f3fb4ac3d31318c5fc6bf225d79a3fffda9b89ce8eb4cef0957e8c6d17
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/205899/cdc_205899_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 534.72 KB ]