Industrial-hygiene assessment of coal-liquefaction plants
An industrial hygiene assessment was conducted at five coal liquefaction facilities to determine employee exposures to suspected hazardous chemicals. Air sampling was performed to determine levels of polynuclear aromatics (PNAs), the simple aromatics, aromatic amines, and several toxic gases. The results of both area and personal air sampling showed that workers were exposed to numerous PNAs usually at low microgram per cubic meter concentrations. The light molecular weight 2 to 3 ring PNAs were found in the highest concentration with very small or no quantities of the 4 through 7 ring compounds detected. Highest exposures to PNAs were associated with maintenance activities being carried out in the process area during facility operation. The results of air sampling for aromatic amines, phenolic compounds and the simple aromatic compounds showed that these chemicals were present only at very low levels and that airborne exposures to these compounds may not be a major health hazard during normal operations. However, skin absorption would remain a concern. Nonquantitative wipe sampling for PNAs revealed the presence of up to 5 ring PNA compounds on most surfaces sampled, indicating that dermal exposure to higher ring PNAs may present a potential health hazard.
- Research Organization:
- Dynamac Corp., Rockville, MD (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7053971
- Report Number(s):
- PB-90-163692/XAB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMINES
HEALTH HAZARDS
COAL LIQUEFACTION PLANTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
PHENOLS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
CARCINOGENS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PERSONNEL
AIR POLLUTION
AROMATICS
HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
016000* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Health & Safety
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology