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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Exposure to chemical additives from polyvinyl chloride polymer extrusion processing

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6967720
The report presents a model to predict worker inhalation exposure due to off-gassing of additives during polyvinyl chloride (PVC) extrusion processing. Data on off-gassing of additives were reviewed in the literature, the off-gassing at normal PVC processing temperatures was studied in the laboratory, process variables were estimated from an equipment manufacturer survey, and worker-activities and possible exposure sources were observed in an industrial survey. The purpose of the study was to develop a theoretical model to predict worker inhalation exposure to additives used during PVC extrusion processing. A model to estimate the generation rate of the additive from the polymer extrudate was derived from the mass transport equations governing diffusion. The mass flow rate, initial additive volatile weight fraction, off-gassing time, diffusivity, and slab thickness are required to determine the generation rate from the model.
Research Organization:
Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (USA)
OSTI ID:
6967720
Report Number(s):
PB-90-151770/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English