Determining exhaust fumes exposure in chainsaw operations.
The objective of this study was to investigate the inhalation exposure of forest operators to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and total xylenes) contained in the exhaust fumes released from chainsaws and to suggest possible countermeasures. The study was carried out in four silvicultural treatments (coppice clearcut, conifer thinning, conifer pruning, and sanitary cut), using three types of chainsaw fuel (normal two-stroke petrol mix and two alkylate fuels). Eighty personal air samples were collected; IOM samplers combined with Amberlite XAD-2 sorbent tubes were used for collecting PAHs and Radiello®samplers were used for BTEX. Results indicate that none of the four silvicultural treatments significantly affected the PAHs and BTEX inhalation exposure of forest workers. On the other hand, statistically significant differences were recorded in the inhalation exposure to PAHs and BTEX when using different fuel types. In particular, the inhalation exposure to PAHs and BTEX was generally one order of magnitude lower when using modern alkylate fuels as compared to the traditional oil and lead-free petrol mixture. The small, non-statistically significant differences in inhalation exposure recorded between the two alkylate fuels suggests that the two fuels might be equivalent in terms of quality. Our study indicates that while forest workers are exposed to PAHs and BTEX, the maximum values are generally well below accepted occupational exposure limits.
GESAAF - University of Florence, Via S. Bonaventura, 13, 50145 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.neri@unifi.it.
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Neri
GESAAF - University of Florence, Via S. Bonaventura, 13, 50145 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: cristiano.foderi@unifi.it.
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Foderi
GESAAF - University of Florence, Via S. Bonaventura, 13, 50145 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: andrea.laschi@unifi.it.
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Laschi
GESAAF - University of Florence, Via S. Bonaventura, 13, 50145 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: fabio.fabiano@unifi.it.
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Fabiano
GESAAF - University of Florence, Via S. Bonaventura, 13, 50145 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: martina.cambi@unifi.it.
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Cambi
Public Health Laboratory, National Health Service, Strada del Ruffolo, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
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Sciarra
Public Health Laboratory, National Health Service, Strada del Ruffolo, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy. Electronic address: cristina.aprea@uslsudest.toscana.it.
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Aprea
Public Health Laboratory, National Health Service, Strada del Ruffolo, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy. Electronic address: anna.cenni@uslsudest.toscana.it.
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Cenni
GESAAF - University of Florence, Via S. Bonaventura, 13, 50145 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: emarchi@unifi.it.
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Marchi
D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis; D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D016468:Forestry; D005742:Gasoline; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D014992:Xylenes / Q000032:analysis
D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D005742:Gasoline; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene; C004912:ethylbenzene
Alkylate fuels; BTEX; Chainsaw exhaust fumes; Forest operator inhalation exposure; PAHs