Occupational Exposure and Environmental Release: The Case Study of Pouring TiO2 and Filler Materials for Paint Production

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 18; no. 2; p. 418
• Main Authors: Fonseca, Ana Sofia, Viitanen, Anna-Kaisa, Kanerva, Tomi, Säämänen, Arto, Aguerre-Chariol, Olivier, Fable, Sebastien, Dermigny, Adrien, Karoski, Nicolas, Fraboulet, Isaline, Koponen, Ismo Kalevi, Delpivo, Camilla, Vilchez Villalba, Alejandro, Vázquez-Campos, Socorro, Østerskov Jensen, Alexander Christian, Hjortkjær Nielsen, Signe, Sahlgren, Nicklas, Clausen, Per Axel, Xuan Nguyen Larsen, Bianca, Kofoed-Sørensen, Vivi, Alstrup Jensen, Keld, Koivisto, Joonas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.01.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Air pollution; Dilution; Emission analysis; Emission measurements; Environmental release; Environmental Sciences; Exposure limits; Health risks; Indoor air quality; Indoor environments; Manufacturers; Manufacturing; Mass flow; Materials handling; Microscopy; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; Occupational exposure; Occupational health; Outdoor air quality; Paints; Particulate matter; Pigments; Pouring; Protective coatings; Public health; Raw materials; Stack emissions; Titanium dioxide; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; A; Aguerre-Chariol; Viitanen; et al. Occupational paint industry; I; Karoski; occupational exposure; N; Fraboulet; O; Koponen; particle emissions; S; T; A.-K; paint industry; exposure determinants; Dermigny; Säämänen; A.S; Kanerva; I.K; Fable; Fonseca; environmental release; powder handling
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18020418

Pulmonary exposure to micro- and nanoscaled particles has been widely linked to adverse health effects and high concentrations of respirable particles are expected to occur within and around many industrial settings. In this study, a field-measurement campaign was performed at an industrial manufacturer, during the production of paints. Spatial and personal measurements were conducted and results were used to estimate the mass flows in the facility and the airborne particle release to the outdoor environment. Airborne particle number concentration (1 × 103–1.0 × 104 cm−3), respirable mass (0.06–0.6 mg m−3), and PM10 (0.3–6.5 mg m−3) were measured during pouring activities. In overall; emissions from pouring activities were found to be dominated by coarser particles >300 nm. Even though the raw materials were not identified as nanomaterials by the manufacturers, handling of TiO2 and clays resulted in release of nanometric particles to both workplace air and outdoor environment, which was confirmed by TEM analysis of indoor and stack emission samples. During the measurement period, none of the existing exposure limits in force were exceeded. Particle release to the outdoor environment varied from 6 to 20 g ton−1 at concentrations between 0.6 and 9.7 mg m−3 of total suspended dust depending on the powder. The estimated release of TiO2 to outdoors was 0.9 kg per year. Particle release to the environment is not expected to cause any major impact due to atmospheric dilution