title: A pilot study to characterize fine particles in the environment of an automotive machining facility.
abstract: The main goal of this study was to characterize fine particles (e.g., smaller than about 3 microns) in an automotive machining environment. The Toledo Machining Plant of Chrysler Corporation was selected for this purpose. The effect of local mechanical processes as aerosol sources was a major part of this investigation. To determine the size-dependent mass concentration of particles in the plant, the Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI Model 100, MSP Corp., Minneapolis, Minnesota) was used. The MOUDI was placed at central locations in departments with sources inside the plant, so that the obtained information on the size distribution realistically represents the aerosol to which plant workers are exposed. Sampling was conducted over a 4-day period, and during three periods per day, each matching the work shifts. A special effort was made to place the MOUDI at a central location of a department with relatively homogeneous particle sources. The selected sampling sites included welding, grinding, steel machining, and heat treating processes. The average 24-hour mass concentrations of particles smaller than 3.2 microns in aerodynamic diameter were 167.8, 103.9, 201.7, and 112.7 micrograms/m3 for welding, grinding, mild steel, and heat treating processes, respectively. Finally, the mass median diameters of welding, heat treatment, machining, and grinding operations were approximately 0.5, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.8 micron, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sioutas
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001336:Automobiles; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009820:Ohio; D010316:Particle Size; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants