| 61. |
- Hedmer, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Exposure and Emission Measurements During Production, Purification, and Functionalization of Arc-Discharge-Produced Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes.
- 2014
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In: Annals of Occupational Hygiene. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1475-3162. ; 58:3, s. 355-379
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The production and use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is rapidly growing. With increased production, there is potential that the number of occupational exposed workers will rapidly increase. Toxicological studies on rats have shown effects in the lungs, e.g. inflammation, granuloma formation, and fibrosis after repeated inhalation exposure to some forms of multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs). Still, when it comes to health effects, it is unknown which dose metric is most relevant. Limited exposure data for CNTs exist today and no legally enforced occupational exposure limits are yet established. The aim of this work was to quantify the occupational exposures and emissions during arc discharge production, purification, and functionalization of MWCNTs. The CNT material handled typically had a mean length <5 μm. Since most of the collected airborne CNTs did not fulfil the World Health Organization fibre dimensions (79% of the counted CNT-containing particles) and since no microscopy-based method for counting of CNTs exists, we decided to count all particle that contained CNTs. To investigate correlations between the used exposure metrics, Pearson correlation coefficient was used.
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| 62. |
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| 63. |
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| 64. |
- Hedmer, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Real-Time Emission and Exposure Measurements of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes during Production, Power Sawing, and Testing of Epoxy-Based Nanocomposites
- 2022
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In: Annals of Work Exposures and Health. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2398-7308 .- 2398-7316. ; 66:7, s. 878-894
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The use of manufactured nanomaterials is increasing globally. Although multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are used in a wide range of applications, only limited data are available on emissions and exposures during CNT composite production. No exposure data using portable aethalometers in the personal breathing zone (PBZ) to monitor occupational exposure to CNTs have yet been published. The aim of this study was to characterize emissions of and exposures to CNTs during CNT composite production, sawing, and shear testing. We also investigated whether real-time aethalometer measurements of equivalent black carbon (eBC) could be used as a proxy filter sampling of elemental carbon (EC). The presence of CNTs as surface contamination in the production facility was monitored since this could contribute to airborne exposure.Methods: During CNT composite production in an industrial setting including both chemical and manufacturing laboratories, different work tasks (WTs) were studied with a combination of directreading instruments (aethalometer, aerodynamic particle sizer, condensation particle counter) and filter-based methods. Measurements were performed to monitor concentrations in the emission zone (EZ), PBZ, and background zone. The filter samples were analysed for EC and fibre concentration of CNTs using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, surfaces in the facility were tape sampled for monitoring of CNT contamination, and analysed with SEM.Results: Clear eBC peaks were observed in the PBZ during several WTs, most clearly during open handling of CNT powder. Power sawing emitted the highest particle number concentration in the EZ of both nanoparticles and coarse particles, but no individual airborne CNTs, agglomerates, or aggregates were detected. Airborne CNTs were identified, for example, in a filter sample collected in the PBZ of a worker during mixing of CNT epoxy. The airborne CNT particles were large agglomerates which looked like porous balls in the SEM images. Significant EC exposures were found in the inhalable fraction while all respirable fractions of EC were below detection. The highest inhalable EC concentrations were detected during the composite production. No significant correlation was found between inhalable EC and eBC, most likely due to losses of large EC containing particles in the sampling lines and inside the eBC monitor. In total, 39 tape samples were collected. Surface contamination of CNTs was detected on eight surfaces in the chemical and manufacturing laboratories, mainly in the near-field zone. Elongated CNT-like features were detected in the sawdust after sawing of CNT composite.Conclusions: Characterization of a workplace producing CNT composite showed that open handling of the CNT powder during weighing and mixing of CNT powder material generated the highest particle emissions and exposures. The portable direct-reading aethalometer provided time-resolved eBC exposure data with complementary information to time-integrated EC filter samples by linking peak exposures to specific WTs. Based on the results it was not possible to conclude that eBC is a good proxy of EC. Surface contamination of CNTs was detected on several surfaces in the near-field zone in the facility. This contamination could potentially be resuspended into the workplace air, and may cause secondary inhalation exposure.
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| 65. |
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| 66. |
- Isaxon, Christina, et al.
(author)
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A Novel System for Source Characterization and Controlled Human Exposure to Nanoparticle Aggregates Generated During Gas–Metal Arc Welding
- 2013
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In: Aerosol Science and Technology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1521-7388 .- 0278-6826. ; 47:1, s. 52-59
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abstract in Undetermined The aim of this study was to achieve a method to perform detailed characterization and human exposure studies of nanosized and nanostructured aerosol particles. The source chosen was mild steel, active gas, arc welding fume. The setup consisted of a generation chamber, where welding can be performed, connected to an airtight stainless steel 22 m(3) exposure chamber. Instrumentation, consisting of a tapered element oscillating microbalance, a scanning mobility particle sizer, and a sampler for electron microscopy and particle-induced X-ray emission analysis was connected to the stainless steel chamber. The feasibility of the system for human exposure studies was evaluated by exposing 31 human volunteers, in groups of three, to a test aerosol containing 1 mg/m(3) welding fumes and to conditioned, filtered air. The results show that an aerosol that accurately represents dilute welding fume exposures that occur in workplaces can be produced in a controlled manner, and that the experimental setup can be used for 6 h, double-blind, exposures of human subjects. Particle mass concentration levels could be varied from <5 mu g/m(3) to more than 1000 mu g/m(3). Fumes from metal active gas welding showed a unimodal size distribution with a mean mobility diameter of 160 nm, transmission electron microscopy showed aggregates with a clearly nanosized structure.
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| 67. |
- Isaxon, Christina, et al.
(author)
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Characteristics of Welding Fume Aerosol Investigated in Three Swedish Workshops
- 2009
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In: Inhaled Particles X. - : IOP Publishing. - 1742-6596 .- 1742-6588. ; 151
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Potentially high human exposures to nanometer sized airborne particles occur due to welding and other thermal processes in industrial environments. Detailed field measurements of physical and chemical particle characteristics were performed in three work-shops in Sweden. Measurements were performed both in the plume 5-20 cm above the welding point and in the background air (more than 5 m away from the nearest known particle source). Particle number and mass concentrations were measured on-line. A low pressure impactor was used for size-resolved chemical particle composition. The in-plume measurements generated the chemical signatures for different welding processes. These signatures were then used to identify contributions from various processes to the particle concentrations in different size classes. The background number and mass concentrations increased by more than an order of magnitude during intense activities in the work-shops compared to low activities during breaks.
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| 69. |
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