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- Hedberg, Yolanda, Docent, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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Welding fume nanoparticles from solid and flux-cored wires : Solubility, toxicity, and role of fluorides
- 2021
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In: Journal of Hazardous Materials. - : Elsevier BV. - 0304-3894 .- 1873-3336. ; 413
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Welding fume particles are hazardous. Their toxicity likely depends on their composition and reactivity. This study aimed at exploring the role of sodium or other fluorides (NaF), which are intentionally added to flux-cored wire electrodes for stainless steel welding, on the solubility (in phosphate buffered saline) and toxicity of the generated welding fume particles. A multi-analytical particle characterization approach along with in-vitro cell assays was undertaken. The release of Cr(VI) and Mn from the particles was tested as a function of fluoride solution concentration. The welding fume particles containing NaF released significantly higher amounts of Cr (VI) compared with solid wire reference fumes, which was associated with increased cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in-vitro. No crystalline Na or potassium (K) containing chromates were observed. Cr(VI) was incorporated in an amorphous mixed oxide. Solution-added fluorides did not increase the solubility of Cr(VI), but contributed to a reduced Mn release from both solid and flux-cored wire fume particles and the reduction of Cr (VI) release from solid wire fume particles. Chemical speciation modeling suggested that metal fluoride complexes were not formed. The presence of NaF in the welding electrodes did not have any direct, but possibly an indirect, role in the Cr(VI) solubility of welding fumes.
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- Westin, E. M., et al.
(author)
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New weldable 316L stainless flux-cored wires with reduced Cr(VI) fume emissions : part 2—round robin creating fume emission data sheets
- 2021
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In: Welding in the World. - : Springer Nature. - 0043-2288 .- 1878-6669. ; 65:12, s. 2339-2348
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Welding fumes have been found to be carcinogenic and stainless steel welders may be at higher risk due to increased formation of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). The slag-shielded methods, identified to generate most airborne particles and Cr(VI), would potentially be most harmful. With ever-stricter limits set to protect workers, measures to minimize human exposure become crucial. Austenitic stainless steel flux-cored wires of 316L type have been developed with the aim to reduce the toxicity of the welding fume without compromised usability. Collected particles were compared with fumes formed using solid, metal-cored, and standard flux-cored wires. In part 1, the new wires were concluded to have improved weldability, to generate even less Cr(VI) in wt.-% than with solid wire and to be less acute toxic in cultured human bronchial epithelial cells as compared to standard flux-cored wires. In part 2, two additional institutes created fume emission datasheets for the same wires for correlation with the fume data obtained in part 1. The reported values showed large variations between the three laboratories, having a significant effect on the standard deviation. This is suggested to be the result of different welding parameters and various ways to collect and analyze the fume. More stringent specifications on parameter settings and fume collection would be required to increase the accuracy. This means that at present, it may not be possible to compare fume data on datasheets from two different wire producers and care should be taken in interpretation of values given in the available literature. Nevertheless, the laboratories confirmed the same trends for Cr(VI) as presented in part 1.
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5. |
- Westin, E. M., et al.
(author)
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New weldable 316L stainless flux-cored wires with reduced Cr(VI) fume emissions : part 1—health aspects of particle composition and release of metals
- 2021
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In: Welding in the World. - : Springer Nature. - 0043-2288 .- 1878-6669. ; 65:12, s. 2319-2337
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Welding fumes have been found to be carcinogenic and stainless steel welders may be at higher risk due to increased formation of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). The slag-shielded methods, identified to generate most airborne particles and Cr(VI), would potentially be most harmful. With ever-stricter limits set to protect workers, measures to minimize human exposure become crucial. Austenitic stainless steel flux-cored wires of 316L type have been developed with the aim to reduce the toxicity of the welding fume without compromised usability. Collected particles were compared with fumes formed using solid, metal-cored, and standard flux-cored wires. The size, morphology, and composition were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Total metal concentrations and released amounts of metals (Cr, Cr(VI), Ni, Mn, Fe) were investigated after complete digestion in aqua regia and after incubation in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) by means of flame furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), and UV–vis spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity of the particles was assessed with the Alamar blue assay for cell viability using cultured human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC-3kt). The findings correlate well with previous in vitro toxicity studies for standard and experimental wires. The new optimized 316L-type flux-cored wires showed improved weldability and generated less Cr(VI) in wt.-% than with solid wire. The respirable particles were confirmed to be less acute toxic in HBEC-3kt cells as compared to standard flux-cored wires. The highest cell viability (survival rate) was observed for the metal-cored wire.
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