An evaluation of airborne nickel, zinc, and lead exposure at hot dip galvanizing plants.
Industrial hygiene surveys were conducted at three hot dip galvanizing plants to determine occupational exposure to nickel, zinc, and lead. All three plants employed the "dry process" and used 2% nickel, by weight, in their zinc baths. A total of 32 personal and area air samples were taken. The air samples were analyzed for nickel, zinc, and lead. Some samples were also analyzed for various species of nickel (i.e., metallic, soluble, and oxidic). The airborne concentrations observed for nickel and its three species, zinc, and lead at the three plants were all well below the current and proposed threshold limit values recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).
Verma
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DK
Occupational Health Laboratory, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Shaw
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DS
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D008669:Metallurgy; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis*; D009864:Ontario; D011482:Protective Devices; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D007854:Lead; D009532:Nickel; D015032:Zinc