Elemental Abundance Variation with Particle Size in Aerosols from Welding Operations

• The effect of airborne particulate matter on human health is today of considerable research interest. Essential parameters include elemental composition sampling with low pressure cascade impactors and analysis by particle induced x-ray emission spectroscopy (PIXE). It is shown that the aerosol generated by arc welding operations is several orders of magnitude denser than aerosols in ambient air. Most of the mass is found on particles between 0.1 and 1µm diameter, but the size distribution differs from one welding technique to another. The relative composition of the aerosol is found to differ significantly from that of both the welding piece and the electrode indicating the presence of fractionation of the type indicated in this work in designing electrodes and welding pieces to minimize the health hazards associated with the welding.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik -- Produktionsteknik, arbetsvetenskap och ergonomi (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering -- Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Subatomär fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Subatomic Physics (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Tvärvetenskapliga studier inom samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (hsv//eng)

Keyword

welding aerosols

elemental composition

size fractions

PIXE

cascade impactor

Publication and Content Type

kon (subject category)

ref (subject category)