Lead Exposure Status of Smelt Process Workers in Steelmaking using Scrap Iron

제강공장 고철 용해공정 근로자의 납 노출실태

  • Gu, Dongchul (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Jaehwan (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital) ;
  • Han, Areum (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Hyunju (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Suyeon (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital) ;
  • Yun, Soonyoung (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Chae Kwan (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, Pusan Korea)
  • 구동철 (양산부산대학교병원 직업환경의학과) ;
  • 이재환 (양산부산대학교병원 직업환경의학과) ;
  • 한아름 (양산부산대학교병원 직업환경의학과) ;
  • 김현주 (양산부산대학교병원 직업환경의학과) ;
  • 이수연 (양산부산대학교병원 직업환경의학과) ;
  • 윤순영 (양산부산대학교병원 직업환경의학과) ;
  • 이채관 (인제대학교 부산백병원 직업환경의학과/환경.산업의학연구소)
  • Published : 2013.06.30

Abstract

Objectives: This study was aimed at the examination of the lead exposure status of smelting process workers in steelmaking using scrap iron. Methods: The study was conducted from July to September 2012 by means of measurements taken during the smelting process, with 45 minutes set for a one-time smelting work cycle when it comes to personal air sample and area air sample. As such, daily work hours were classified into 360 minutes for measurement. The analysis of lead concentration was conducted using AAs based on the NIOSH 7300 method. Results: In the case of the personal specimens that were subjected to periodical measurement 45 minutes per one session during the smelting process, 40 out of 42 specimens measured were found to contain lead, with an average concentration level of $0.028mg/m^3$ (Max: $0.182mg/m^3$, Min: $0.005mg/m^3$, TWA-more than 50%: 4 out of 6 units). In the case of regional specimens, lead was detected in 45 out of 48 specimens measured, with an average concentration level of $0.037mg/m^3$ (Max: $0.220mg/m^3$, Min: $0.007mg/m^3$ ). In the case of regional specimens subjected to measurement using a day as the work cycle, lead was detected in 15 out of 15 specimens measured, with an average concentration level of $0.049mg/m^3$ (Max: $0.478mg/m^3$, Min: $0.005mg/m^3$ ). Conclusions: It concluded that smelting process workers in steelmaking are exposed to lead because scrap iron is used as a raw material. It is thus necessary to introduce legal management to prevent occupation-related disease in smelting process workers in steelmaking.

Keywords

References

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