title: Occupational exposure assessment of airborne chemical contaminants among professional ski waxers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ski waxes are applied onto the skis to improve the performance. They contain different chemical substances, e.g. perfluoro-n-alkanes. Due to evaporation and sublimation processes as well as mechanically generated dust, vapours, fumes, and particulates can contaminate the workroom atmosphere. The number of professional ski waxers is increasing, but occupational exposure assessments among professional ski waxers are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to assess exposure to airborne chemical contaminants among professional ski waxers. It was also a goal to construct a ventilation system designed for ski waxing work operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five professional ski waxers were included. Personal measurements of the inhalable and the respirable aerosol mass fractions were executed in 36 different waxing cabins using Conical Inhalable Sampler cassettes equipped with 37-mm PVC filters (5 µm) and Casella respirable cyclones equipped with 37-mm PVC filters (0.8 µm), respectively. Volatile organic components were collected using Anasorb CSC charcoal tubes. To examine time trends in exposure patterns, stationary real-time measurements of the aerosol mass fractions were conducted using a direct-reading Respicon® sampler.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean aerosol particle mass concentrations of 3.1 mg·m(-3) (range: 0.2-12.0) and 6.2 mg·m(-3) (range: 0.4-26.2) were measured in the respirable and inhalable aerosol mass fractions, respectively. Real-time aerosol sampling showed large variations in particle concentrations, with peak exposures of ~10 and 30 mg·m(-3) in the respirable and the inhalable aerosol particle mass fractions, respectively. The custom-made ventilation system reduced the concentration of all aerosol mass fractions by more than 90%.
authors.affiliation: 1.Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Norway 2.The Norwegian Biathlon Union, Serviceboks 1, US, 0840 Oslo, Norway baard.freberg@stami.no.
authors.forename: Baard Ingegerdsson
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Freberg
authors.affiliation: 1.Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: 1.Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Hanne Line
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Daae
authors.affiliation: 1.Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Merete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hersson
authors.affiliation: 1.Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Syvert
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thorud
authors.affiliation: 1.Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Dag G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ellingsen
authors.affiliation: 1.Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Paal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Molander
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010316:Particle Size; D012865:Skiing; D014691:Ventilation / Q000379:methods; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D014885:Waxes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D014885:Waxes
keywords: occupational exposure; perfluoro-n-alkanes; ski wax; ski waxer; ventilation suction cap