Exposure to Fuel-Oil Ash and Welding Emissions During the Overhaul of an Oil-Fired Boiler

Details

• Personal Author:
  Christiani, David C. ; Hauser R ; Herrick, Robert F. ; Liu Y ; Smith, Thomas J. ; Williams PL ; Woodin MA
• Description:
  The health effects of exposure to vanadium in fuel-oil ash are not well described at levels ranging from 10 to 500 ug/m3. As part of a larger occupational epidemiologic study that assessed these effects during the overhaul of a large oilfired boiler, this study was designed to quantify boilermakers' exposures to fuel-oil ash particles, metals, and welding gases, and to identify determinants of these exposures. Personal exposure measurements were conducted on 18 boilermakers and 11 utility workers (referents) before and during a 3-week overhaul. Ash particles <10 um in diameter (PM10, mg/m3) were sampled over full work shifts using a one-stage personal size selective sampler containing a polytetrafluoroethylene filter. Filters were digested using the Parr bomb method and analyzed for the metals vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and arsenic (As) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was measured with an Ogawa passive badge-type sampler and ozone (O3) with a personal active pump sampler. Time-weighted average (TWA) exposures were significantly higher (p < 0.05) for boilermakers than for utility workers for PM10 (geometric mean: 0.47 vs. 0.13 mg/m3), V (8.9 vs. 1.4 ug/m3), Ni (7.4 vs. 1.8 ug/m3) and Fe (56.2 vs. 11.2 ug/m3). Exposures were affected by overhaul time periods, tasks, and work locations. No significant increases were found for O3 or NO2 for boilermakers or utility workers regardless of overhaul period or task group. Fuel-oil ash was a major contributor to boilermakers' exposure to PM10 and metals.Vanadium concentrations sometimes exceeded the 2003 American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Arsenic Cadmium Chromium Environmental Exposure Epidemiology Fuel Oils Inorganic Chemicals Lead Manganese Metals Nickel Nitrogen Dioxide Occupational Health Ozone Particulate Matter Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Vanadium Welding

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Boilermakers Exposure Assessment Exposure Levels Filters Fuels Gases Health Effects Mass Spectrometry Nitrogen Dioxide Occupational Health Oils Particle Size Particulates Respiratory Health Risk Factors Samplers Sampling Time Weighted Average Exposure Toxic Metals Welding Fumes

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• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant ; Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Connecticut ; Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  435-443
• Volume:
  2
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057617
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2005 Sep; 2(9):435-443
• Contact Point Address:
  Youcheng Liu, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 135 College Street, New Haven, CT 06510
• Email:
  youcheng.liu@yale.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Arsenic (CAS RN 7440-38-2) ; Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3) ; Iron (CAS RN 7439-89-6) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Manganese (CAS RN 7439-96-5) ; Nickel (CAS RN 7440-02-0) ; Nitrogen dioxide (CAS RN 10102-44-0) ; Ozone (CAS RN 10028-15-6) ; Vanadium (CAS RN 7440-62-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2005
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19930930
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  19980929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3d39128817d556a525a288866af7413ec13c0ebfbcdd6aa9f4d29786973713c322c74c026510ba6df2a650b92df23c00ca3efbbbc0a05666f1582ef09880a6f6
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/214890/cdc_214890_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 281.23 KB ]