Occupational Exposures to Emissions from Combustion of Diesel and Alternative Fuels in Underground Mining – a Simulated Pilot Study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burgess JL ; Lee VST ; Lutz EA ; Reed RJ
• Description:
  Diesel fuel is commonly used for underground mining equipment, yet diesel engine exhaust is a known human carcinogen. Alternative fuels, including biodiesel, and a natural gas/diesel blend, offer the potential to reduce engine emissions and associated health effects. For this pilot study, exposure monitoring was performed in an underground mine during operation of a load-haul-dump vehicle. Use of lowsulfur diesel, 75% biodiesel/25% diesel blend (B75), and natural gas/diesel blend (GD) fuels were compared. Personal samples were collected for total and respirable diesel particulate matter (tDPM and rDPM, respectively) and total and respirable elemental and organic carbon (tEC, rEC, tOC, rOC, respectively), as well as carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, naphthalene, nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Compared to diesel, B75 use was associated with a 33% reduction in rDPM, reductions in rEC, tEC, and naphthalene, increased tDPM, tOC, and NO, and no change in rOC, CO, and NO2. Compared to diesel, GD was associated with a 66% reduction in rDPM and a reduction in all other exposures except CO. The alternative fuels tested both resulted in reduced rDPM, which is the basis for the current Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) occupational exposure standard. Although additional study is needed with a wider variety of equipment, use of alternative fuels have the promise of reducing exposures from vehicular exhaust in underground mining settings. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Air Pollutants, Occupational
  • Biomarkers
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Carcinogens
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Formaldehyde
  • Fuel Oils
  • Lung
  • Men
  More +
• Keywords:
  • Diesel emissions
  • Diesel engines
  • Diesel exhaust
  • Diesel exhausts
  • Exposure levels
  • Risk factors
  • Underground mining
  • Underground miners
  • Miners
  • Fuels
  More +
• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant ; Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Arizona ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  12
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20050294
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2015 Mar; 12(3):D18-D25
• Contact Point Address:
  Eric A. Lutz, Director, Mining Safety and Health Program, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1656 E. Mabel St, #113, Tucson, AZ, 85724
• Email:
  ealutz@email.arizona.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  • Acetaldehyde (CAS RN 75-07-0)
  • Carbon (CAS RN 7440-44-0)
  • Carbon monoxide (CAS RN 630-08-0)
  • Formaldehyde (CAS RN 50-00-0)
  • Naphthalene (CAS RN 91-20-3)
  • Nitric oxide (CAS RN 10102-43-9)
  • Nitrogen dioxide (CAS RN 10102-44-0)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Performing Organization:
  University of Arizona, Tucson
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20120701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  20160630
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/210705/cdc_210705_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 498.36 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:16f7e3313f0b8b73794b50d58954e84dd6948fb3c92beb5cb73d328be03433782ef92dc5f25a3e1b6453b3262ab91595a885ff3dde1f554e697e0acc14817854