Industrial hygiene sampling at Rio Blanco oil shale facility
The Rio Blanco Oil Shale Company (RBOSC) facility, in its early stages of development, provided the unique opportunity to sample a Modified In-Situ (MIS) operation during the preparation phase of the first retort, during pyrolysis, and during preparation of a subsequent retort. Industrial hygiene measurements were made in the lowest (G) level (835 feet) of the mine, prior to and during the first 30 days of the Retort Zero burn. These measurements were designed to define and characterize potential inhalation exposures associated with the MIS shale oil recovery process. This information, along with bulk samples of oil shale materials and products, was provided for use in laboratory toxicological studies. Gas and vapor samples of the compounds of interest were all much below threshold limit values (TLV) both before and after retort zero ignition although slightly elevated after ignition. Airborne dust concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 2.9 mg/m/sup 3/ at sizes of 0.3- to 5.2-..mu..m mass median aerodynamic diameter and alpha quartz content ranged from 1.1 to 4.4 percent. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons were found in relatively low concentrations with the anthracene/phenanthrene mixture at the highest level of 0.6 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/. The wetness and ventilation in this mine apparently helped control airborne contaminant concentrations below their TLV values.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5369565
- Report Number(s):
- LA-9152-MS; ON: DE82009730
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Postburn lithology and mineralogy at Rio Blanco Oil Shale Company's Tract C-a retort 1, Rio Blanco County, Colorado. [Core samples from near the in-situ retort]
Rio Blanco pursues MIS tests as well as open-pit studies. [Modified in-situ]
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
SAMPLING
OIL SHALE MINING
OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANTS
ANTHRACENE
DUSTS
GASES
HEALTH HAZARDS
MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESSES
PHENANTHRENE
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
VENTILATION
AIR POLLUTION
AROMATICS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
FLUIDS
HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MINING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
040700* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Health & Safety
041000 - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Environmental Aspects
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)