[Exposure to total and respirable dust of aluminum and its compounds].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to assess occupational exposure to total and respirable dust of aluminum and its compounds in several plants, which use aluminum alloys in their production processes.


METHODS
The investigations were conducted at 37 workplaces in 5 plants. Air samples were collected at three groups of workplaces: smelting, founding and mechanical working of products. Air samples were taken according to the principles of personal dosimetry. Aluminum concentrations (total and respirable dust) were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with a graphite tube and Zeeman background correction.


CONCLUSIONS
It was found that differential exposure to total and respirable dust of aluminum and its compounds occurred at all investigated workplaces. At the majority of workplaces, concentrations of aluminum total dust and aluminum respirable dust were higher than 0.1 of the relevant value of maximum admissible concentration (MAC), but at none of these workplaces 0.4 of this value was exceeded.
Kondej
Dorota
D
Centralny Instytut Ochrony Pracy-Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, Warszawa, Zakład Zagrozeń Chemicznych i Pyłowych. dokon@ciop.pl
Gaweda
Ewa
E
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D008669:Metallurgy; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011044:Poland; D012015:Reference Standards; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017132:Workplace
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D000535:Aluminum