title: Air sampling and determination of vapours and aerosols of bitumen and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Human Bitumen Study.
abstract: The chemical complexity of emissions from bitumen applications is a challenge in the assessment of exposure. Personal sampling of vapours and aerosols of bitumen was organized in 320 bitumen-exposed workers and 69 non-exposed construction workers during 2001-2008. Area sampling was conducted at 44 construction sites. Area and personal sampling of vapours and aerosols of bitumen showed similar concentrations between 5 and 10 mg/m(3), while area sampling yielded higher concentrations above the former occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 10 mg/m(3). The median concentration of personal bitumen exposure was 3.46 mg/m(3) (inter-quartile range 1.80-5.90 mg/m(3)). Only few workers were exposed above the former OEL. The specificity of the method measuring C-H stretch vibration is limited. This accounts for a median background level of 0.20 mg/m³ in non-exposed workers which is likely due to ubiquitous aliphatic hydrocarbons. Further, area measurements of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were taken at 25 construction sites. U.S. EPA PAHs were determined with GC/MS, with the result of a median concentration of 2.47 μg/m(3) at 15 mastic asphalt worksites associated with vapours and aerosols of bitumen, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.45 (95% CI -0.13 to 0.78). PAH exposure at mastic-asphalt works was higher than at reference worksites (median 0.21 μg/m(3)), but about one order of magnitude lower compared to coke-oven works. For a comparison of concentrations of vapours and aerosols of bitumen and PAHs in asphalt works, differences in sampling and analytical methods must to be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (IFA), Sankt Augustin, Germany.
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Breuer
authors.forename: Jens-Uwe
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Höber
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Emmel
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Musanke
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rühl
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spickenheuer
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raulf-Heimsoth
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bramer
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heinze
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kendzia
authors.forename: Boleslaw
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marczynski
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Welge
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Angerer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brüning
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pesch
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; C006647:asphalt