[Determination of thoracic and inhalable fraction of sulfuric acid(VI) in workplace air].
BACKGROUND
The article presents the results of the determination of the inhalable and thoracic fraction of sulfuric acid(VI) in 3 workplaces producing or processing this chemical.


METHODS
To collect thoracic fractions of sulfuric acid(VI) Parallel Particle Impactor (PPI) was used. To isolate inhalable fraction of sulfuric acid(VI) from the air we used a sampler developed at the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), United Kingdom. Parallel Particle Impactor and IOM samplers worked with pumps at a flow of 2 l/min. For the chromatographic determination of the inhalable and thoracic fraction of sulfuric acid(VI) in workplace the ion chromatography with conductometric detection was used.


RESULTS
Depending on the sampling place the concentration of thoracic fraction of sulfuric acid(VI) was: 0.0015-0.01 mg/m3 in workplace A, 0.0019-0.25 mg/m3 in workplace B, and 0.002-0.01 mg/m3 in workplace C. Of 22 tested workstations in workplace B only 7 exceeded the threshold limit value (TLV) for the concentration of thoracic fraction of sulfuric acid(VI).


CONCLUSIONS
The results confirmed the utility of PPI for sampling the thoracic fraction of sulfuric acid(VI). The studies show that at 22 workstations in the establishments producing or processing sulfuric acid(VI) thoracic fraction of acid is emitted to the work environment. The collected data showed that the thoracic fraction of sulfuric acid(VI) represents on average 64% of the inhalable fraction. Med Pr 2016;67(4):509-515.
Centralny Instytut Ochrony Pracy - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy / Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland (Zakład Zagrożeń Chemicznych, Pyłowych i Biologicznych / Department of Chemicals, Aerosols and Biological Hazards). mapol@ciop.pl.
Małgorzata
M
Szewczyńska
Centralny Instytut Ochrony Pracy - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy / Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland (Zakład Zagrożeń Chemicznych, Pyłowych i Biologicznych / Department of Chemicals, Aerosols and Biological Hazards). mapos@ciop.pl.
Małgorzata
M
Pośniak
Uniwersytet Warszawski / University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland (Wydział Chemii / Faculty of Chemistry). emilia.zabik@gmail.com.
Emilia
E
Pągowska
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D017132:Workplace
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013464:Sulfuric Acids
inhalable fraction; ion chromatography; samplers for thoracic traction; sulfuric acid(VI); thoracic fraction; workplace