Abstract

This study describes a comprehensive exposure assessment in a stainless steel welding facility, measuring personal inhalable PM and metals, time-resolved PM₁₀ area metals, and the bioavailable fraction of area inhalable metals. Eighteen participants wore personal inhalable samplers for two, nonconsecutive shifts. Area inhalable samplers and a time-resolved PM₁₀ X-ray fluorescence spectrometer were used in different work areas each sampling day. Inhalable and bioavailable metals were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Median exposures to chromium, nickel, and manganese across all measured shifts were 66 (range: 13–300) μg/m³, 29 (5.7–132) μg/m³, and 22 (1.5–119) μg/m³, respectively. Most exposure variation was seen between workers ($0.79<\mathit{ICC}<0.55),$ although cobalt and inhalable PM showed most variation within workers. Manganese was the most bioavailable metal from the inhalable size fraction (16 ± 3%), and chromium and nickel were 1.2 ± 0.08% and 2.6 ± 1.2% bioavailable, respectively. This comprehensive approach to welding-fume exposure assessment can allow for targeted approaches to controlling exposures based not only on individual measurements, but also on metal-specific measures and assessments of bioavailability.

摘要

本研究描述了不锈钢焊接设施中的综合暴露评估，测量个人可吸入 PM 和金属、时间分辨 PM ₁₀区域金属以及区域可吸入金属的生物可利用部分。十八名参与者佩戴个人吸入采样器进行两个非连续轮班。每个采样日在不同的工作区域使用区域吸入采样器和时间分辨 PM ₁₀ X 射线荧光光谱仪。使用电感耦合等离子体质谱 (ICP-MS) 分析可吸入金属和生物可利用金属。所有测量班次的铬、镍和锰暴露中值分别为 66（范围：13–300）μg/m ³、29（5.7–132）μg/m ³和 22（1.5–119）μg/m ³，分别。大多数暴露差异出现在工人之间（$0.79<\mathit{国际商会}<0.55）,$尽管钴和可吸入颗粒物在工人中表现出最大的差异。锰是可吸入尺寸分数中生物利用度最高的金属（16 ± 3%），铬和镍的生物利用度分别为 1.2 ± 0.08% 和 2.6 ± 1.2%。这种焊接烟雾暴露评估的综合方法不仅可以基于单独的测量，还可以基于特定金属的测量和生物利用度评估，采用有针对性的方法来控制暴露。