A Comparison of Respirable Crystalline Silica Concentration Measurements Using a Direct-on-Filter Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Transmission Method vs. a Traditional Laboratory X-Ray Diffraction Method

Details

• Personal Author:
  Autenrieth DA ; Cauda, Emanuele G. ; Chubb L ; Hart JF ; Rosenthal S ; Spear TM ; Wock S
• Description:
  Evaluation and control of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposures are critical components of an effective mine industrial hygiene program. To provide more timely exposure data in the field, an end-of-shift Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry method has been developed for evaluation of direct-on-filter RCS. The present study aimed to apply this FT-IR method using field samples collected in three Northwestern U.S. metal/nonmetal mines and compare the results to traditional laboratory X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Seventy-five dust samples were analysed using both methods. Samples for each mine were split in half by random assignment, with half used to create a calibration factor for the FT-IR analysis and half used to apply the calibration. Non-parametric correlational and two-sample comparative tests were used to assess the strength of association and the level of agreement between the two methods. Strong, positive correlations were observed between FT-IR and XRD RCS concentrations, with Spearman rank correlation coefficients ranging between 0.84 and 0.97. The mean RCS concentrations determined though FT-IR analysis were lower than through XRD analysis, with mean differences ranging from -4 to -133 ug/m3 and mean percent errors ranging from 12% to 28%. There was a statistically significant improvement in the level of agreement between log FT-IR and log XRD RCS concentrations following calibration at two of the three mines, with mean differences of -0.03 (p = 0.002) and -0.02 (p = 0.044) in the log scale. The reduction in mean difference following calibration at the other mine was not statistically significant (mean log scale difference = -0.05, p = 0.215), but the differences between FT-IR and XRD were not significantly different without calibration (mean log scale difference = -0.07, p = 0.534). The results indicate that mine-specific calibration factors can improve the level of agreement between RCS concentrations determined via a field-based, end-of-shift FT-IR method in metal/non-metal mines as compared to traditional XRD analysis. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Mining Occupational Health Safety Software Waste Management
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Direct-on-Filter Crystalline Silica Dust Exposure Dusts Environmental Exposure Exposure Levels Fourier Transform Infrared Transmission FTIR Health Effects Industrial Hygiene Programs Monitoring Systems Pulmonary System Pulmonary System Disorders RCS Respirable Crystalline Silica Respiratory Function Respiratory System Disorders Risk Factors Sampling Silica Spectrographic Analysis Statistical Analysis Work Environment Worker Health Workers X-ray Analysis X-ray Diffraction XRD

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Montana ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 8 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  15
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20051898
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2018 Oct; 15(10):743-754
• Contact Point Address:
  Emanuele Cauda, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, Dust Control, Ventilation and Toxic Substances Branch, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 15236
• Email:
  ecauda@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  Montana Technological University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  20290630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:fd3882c8da87836251b9e647b220936cce6c4ae1d7ed574e992a26d0ecf7baa48c73aef3ba8b96c91a2029a685d0d9cd88ba5a6cf0342838ec76c97cb1bf2484
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227693/cdc_227693_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.85 MB ]