Author(s)

PRZEMYSLAW OBERBEK & BEATA KACZOROWSKA

Abstract

A Polish regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy on the value of the maximum concentrations of harmful chemical and dust factors in the workplace introduced new definitions of aerosols, which is “inhalable fraction and respirable fraction in place of the total dust and respirable dust”. Due to the modification of the definitions of aerosol fractions, it is necessary to verify methods for deter- mining the inhalable and respirable fraction of the aerosol. The purpose of the studies leading to the determination of the inhalable fraction and the respirable fraction of the aerosol is to obtain validated and reliable exposure information to compare the exposure to the limit value. The most reliable results of occupational exposure assessment are obtained using an individual dosimetry method. The research was carried out at seven selected workstations where there was emitted, for example, wood dust or coal dust. Dust samples were collected in a breathing zone on a specially constructed stand containing a set of sampling heads along with individual aspirators. At each of the investigated workstations, samples of the inhalable fraction and respirable fraction of the dust were collected simultaneously using dif- ferent sets of sampling heads capable of sampling with varying volume air flow. These studies were conducted to compare the various samplers currently available on the Polish market. IOM was used as a reference personal sampler. By analyzing the results, it was found that the IOM sampler at each workstation obtained similar values (at least four IOM heads were used in one test). The biggest discrepancies can be seen with the GSP 3.5 sampler.

Keywords

aerosols, chemical hazards, coal dust, dust hazards, individual dosimetry method, inhalable fraction, occupational exposure assessment, respirable fraction, wood dust