Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (한국산업보건학회지)

Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (한국산업보건학회)
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Worker Exposure Assessment on Airborne Total Chromium and Hexavalent Chromium by Process in Electroplating Factories

도금업체 공정별 근로자의 총크롬 및 6가 크롬 노출 평가

  • Yi, Gwang Yong (Occupational Safety & Health Research Institute, KOSHA) ;
  • Kim, Boowook (Occupational Lung Diseases Institute, KCOMWEL) ;
  • Shin, Yong Chul (Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering & Institute of Health Science and Information, Inje University)
  • 이광용 (안전보건공단 산업안전보건연구원) ;
  • 김부욱 (근로복지공단 직업성폐질환연구소) ;
  • 신용철 (인제대학교 보건안전공학과.보건과학정보연구소)
  • Received : 2014.06.03
  • Accepted : 2015.03.20
  • Published : 2015.03.31
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Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine characteristics of workers' exposures to airborne total and hexavalent chromium by job title in electroplating processes. Methods: Total Cr was determined through a modified method based on NIOSH Method 7024. Airborne hexavalent Cr, Cr(VI), was sampled and extracted according to NIOSH Method 7600 and analyzed at 520 nm using an ion chromatograph/visible detector. Results: The geometric mean(GM) of total Cr concentrations from all factories was $11.2{\mu}g/m^3$(GSD=4.9). The GM of Cr(VI) concentrations from all factories was $2.84{\mu}g/m$ (GSD=5.2), and the concentrations among factories were significantly different (p<0.05). The Cr(VI) levels were lower than total Cr levels. Total Cr exposure levels were highest among buffing workers ($21.6{\mu}g/m^3$), but Cr(VI) levels were highest among plating workers($4.15{\mu}g/m^3$). The concentrations of Cr(VI) and total Cr from plating tasks was highly correlated(r=0.91). Conclusions: In the electroplating industry, plating workers were mainly exposed to Cr(VI), but others were not. Oxidation-reduction states of Cr and job titles should be considered in the exposure or risk assessments of chrome electroplating factories.

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