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Phthalate esters (PAEs) are endocrine disrupters and can disrupt the functioning of different hormones, causing adverse effects on human health. Due to the potential exposure to phthalates in office rooms, their concentrations in the air of these premises after their renovation and furnishing were determined. The aim of the study was to determine the content of these compounds in the gas phase and adsorbed on the particles. Thus, the combined sampler with filters and adsorption tube was used for air sampling. Samples were analyzed by GC-MS. The gas fraction was dominated by dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), and the inhalable fraction by dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and 2-(diethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). The total concentration of phthalates in the respirable fraction in the furnished rooms was as much as 92% of the phthalates determined in the inhalable fraction. In the rooms immediately after renovation and those arranged and used by employees for 7 months, their concentration in the respirable fraction did not exceed 25% of the phthalates in the inhalable fraction. Phthalate concentration in the renovated rooms after 7 months of their usage dropped by 84% in relation to PAEs concentration in newly arranged rooms and by 68% in relation to the phthalate concentration in empty rooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of phthalates measurements in 4 companies producing or processing materials made of rubber and plastics. Six priority phthalates were determined in air samples both in the respirable and inhalable particle fractions. For the determination of phthalates, GC/MS was applied, which ensures the determination of the method at the level of 0.066 µg/m3 for fibreglass filter and polyurethane foam and 0.022 µg/m3 for Amberlite resin XAD-2, while taking 720 L of air samples. The results of the measurements showed that dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) dominated in all the investigated companies in the gaseous phase of air sampling. For example, in a company producing rubber details for car accessories, the concentration of DBP ranged from 54 to 74% of the total phthalate concentration determined in the gaseous phase. The inhalable particle fraction was dominated by two compounds, i.e. DBP and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate DEHP, and their total concentration was a significant percentage, on average over 83% of the sum of all phthalates determined in the inhalable fraction in the investigated companies. As particle size affects the location of phthalate deposition in the respiratory tract, the determination of concentration levels of individual phthalates in the gaseous phase and in inhalable and respirable fractions can provide valuable information that can be used to improve the health and safety of workers at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Occupational exposure to wood dust can be responsible for many different harmful health effects, especially in workers employed in the wood industry. The assessment of wood dust adverse effects to humans, as well as the interpretation of its concentration measurements carried out to assess potential occupational exposure are very difficult. First of all, it is due to possible occurrence of different kind of wood dust in the workplace air, namely wood dust from dozens of species of trees belonging to 2 kinds of botanical gymnosperms and angiosperms, as well as to its different chemical composition. Material and Methods: Total dust and respirable wood dust in the workplace air in the furniture industry was determined using the filtration-gravimetric method in accordance with Polish Standards PN-Z-04030-05:1991 and PN-Z-04030-06:1991. Air samples were collected based on the principles of individual dosimetry. Results: Total dust concentrations were 0.84–13.92 mg/m3 and inhalable fraction concentrations, obtained after the conversion of total dust by applying a conversion factor of 1.59, were 1.34–22.13 mg/m3. Respirable fraction concentrations were 0.38–4.04 mg/m3, which makes approx. 25% of the inhalable fraction on average. The highest concentrations occurred in grinding and the lowest during milling processes of materials used in the manufacture of furniture. Conclusions: The results indicate that the share of respirable fraction in the inhalable fraction of wood dust is considerable. Due to the determination of the threshold limit value (TLV) for the inhalable fraction of wood dust, it is necessary to replace the previously used samplers for total dust with samplers that provide quantitative separation of wood dust inhalable fractions in accordance with the convention of this fraction as defined in PN-EN 481:1998. Med Pr 2017;68(1):45–60

While exposure to air contaminants from metal arc welding at workplaces has been intensively investigated over the last five decades, other hot work processes, such as flame and plasma cutting, air carbon arc gouging, and surface grinding have not received as much attention. Exposures to particulate matter (PM) during selected hot work processes, such as metal active gas (MAG) and manual metal arc (MMA) welding, flame and plasma cutting, air carbon arc gouging, and surface grinding were measured. Respirable, inhalable, and "total" fractions of the PM were collected with different air samplers in the workers' breathing zone. Concentrations of PM, chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) were determined in the samples by using gravimetric analysis and plasma-based analytical atomic spectrometry techniques. Bio-accessibility of the elements was investigated by using a synthetic lung lining fluid (Hatch´s solution) for the leaching of soluble metal compounds in the collected samples. Short term (15–75 min) workplace air concentrations of PM, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and Cu in the workers´ breathing zone during hot work processes were found to be high compared to the current 8-hr time-weighted average (TWA) exposure limit values (ELVs) in use in many countries. The short-term median concentrations of PM during the different hot work processes varied between 6.0 and 88.7 mg m−3 and between 15.1 and 193 mg m−3 in the respirable and inhalable fractions, respectively. The highest median concentration of Fe (107 mg m−3) and Mn (28.7 mg m−3) was found in the inhalable fraction during plasma cutting and air carbon arc gouging, respectively. More than 40% of the inhalable PM generated during flame and plasma cutting, air carbon arc gouging and surface grinding was present in the respirable fraction. There was large variation in the bio-accessibility of the elements in PM collected during the different hot work processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air Pollution is a problem because human activities threaten to overload the atmosphere with wastes beyond the ability of wind and weather to disperse and dilute these pollutants. An effective air resources management program must take into account, the effects of meteorological parameters on transport and dilution and the natural cleansing processes of the atmosphere. Particulate pollutants tend to coagulate, increase in size and fall to earth. Thus coarse or inhalable particulates generally cause air pollution problems of a localized nature. However, lighter particulate and gaseous pollutant are influenced by action of atmospheric diffusion and may be carried to great distances from their sources of origin. Any study of air pollution should include a study of the weather patterns (meteorology) of the local area because the fate of air pollutants is influenced by the movements and characteristics of the air mass into which they are emitted. The main concentration of respirable suspended particulate matter was 104.17 - 260.42 and the inhalable suspended particulate matter was in a range of 104.17 - 434.03. The correlation of inhalable and respirable suspended particulate matter was good and positive (r = 0.73.); And the correlation of respirable and inhalable fraction with wind speed and temperature were positive while with relative, humidity were negative. The spatial distribution of inhalable and respirable were significant and remarkable (P<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]