Quantitative Assessment Strategy for Determining the Exposures to Volatile Organic Chemicals in Chemistry Laboratories

화학실험실의 휘발성유기화합물 노출에 대한 정량적 평가전략

  • Byun, Hyaejeong (Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University) ;
  • Ryu, Kyongnam (Department of Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University) ;
  • Yoon, Chungsik (Department of Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University) ;
  • Park, Jeongim (Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Soon Chun Hyang University)
  • 변혜정 (서울대학교 보건환경연구소) ;
  • 류경남 (서울대학교 보건대학원 환경보건학과) ;
  • 윤충식 (서울대학교 보건대학원 환경보건학과) ;
  • 박정임 (순천향대학교 환경보건학과)
  • Received : 2010.11.05
  • Accepted : 2011.02.21
  • Published : 2011.03.31

Abstract

Working in a research laboratory means exposure to a wide range of hazardous substances. Several studies indicated that laboratory workers, especially working with chemicals, might have an increased risk of certain cancers. However, exposure assessment data in laboratory settings are scarce. This study was performed to examine several approaches for quantitatively assessing the exposure levels to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among workers in chemistry laboratories. The list of 10 target VOCs, including ethanol, acetone, 2-propanol, dichlormethane, tetrahydrofuran, benzene, toluene, n-hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, was determined through self-administered questionnaire for six chemistry research laboratories in a university, a government-funded research institute, or private labs. From September to December 2008, 84 air samples were collected (15 area samples, 27 personal time weighted samples, 42 personal task-basis short-term samples). Real time monitors with photo ionization detector were placed during the sampling periods. In this study, benzene was observed exceeding the action levels, although all the results were below the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV). From the air sampling results, we concluded that (1) chemicals emitted during experiments could directly affect to neighbor office areas (2) chemical exposures in research laboratories showed a wide range of concentrations depending on research activities (3) area samples tended to underestimate the exposures relative to personal samples. Still, further investigation, is necessary for developing exposure assessment strategies specific to laboratories with unique exposure profiles.

Keywords

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