Exposure to airborne asbestos in thermal power plants in Mongolia.
BACKGROUND
Coal-fired thermal power plants (TPPs) in Mongolia use various types of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in thermal insulation of piping systems, furnaces, and other products.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the occupational exposure of insulation workers to airborne asbestos in Mongolian power plants.


METHODS
Forty-seven air samples were collected from four power plants in Mongolia during the progress of insulation work. The samples were analyzed by phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).


RESULTS
The average phase contrast microscopy equivalent (PCME) asbestos fiber concentration was 0·93 f/cm(3). Sixteen of the 41 personal and one of the area samples exceeded the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US OSHA) short-term exposure limit of 1·0 f/cm(3). If it is assumed that the short-term samples collected are representative of full-shift exposure, then the exposures are approximately 10 times higher than the US OSHA 8-hour permissible exposure limit of 0·1 f/cm(3).


CONCLUSIONS
Power plant insulation workers are exposed to airborne asbestos at concentrations that exceed the US OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit. Action to mitigate the risks should be taken in Mongolia.
Naransukh
N
Damiran
Ellen K
EK
Silbergeld
Arthur L
AL
Frank
Oyuntogos
O
Lkhasuren
Chimedsuren
C
Ochir
Patrick N
PN
Breysse
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D001194:Asbestos / Q000032:analysis*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D008986:Mongolia; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011210:Power Plants
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D001194:Asbestos
Asbestos exposure,; Chrysotile asbestos,; Insulation; Mongolia,; Thermal power plants,