초록
Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate asphalt fumes and PAHs exposure among asphalt road paving workers. Methods: Task-based personal air samplings(n=41) were carried out in 3 asphalt road paving construction sites using PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene) filters for asphalt fume and XAD-2 with glass fiber filters for PAHs. The concentration of fumes and PAHs were showed by four different job(paver finisher operator, paving laborer(raker), macadam roller operator and tire roller operator). Results: The geometric mean(GM) concentration of asphalt fumes as benzene soluble aerosol was highest at paving laborers($42.32{\mu}g/m^3$), followed by in order, paver finisher operators($41.57{\mu}g/m^3$), macadam roller operators($31.9{\mu}g/m^3$), and tire roller operators($30.31{\mu}g/m^3$). The GM of total PAHs concentration was highest at paver finisher operators($37.5{\mu}g/m^3$), followed by in order, paving laborers($20.13{\mu}g/m^3$), tire roller operators($8.66{\mu}g/m^3$), and macadam roller operators($6.23{\mu}g/m^3$). The results of the evaluation of 16 compounds of PAHs showed that the concentrations of naphthalene, achenaphthylene, achenaphthene, pyrene, fluorene and benz (a) anthracene was higher than those of other PAHs compounds and as the carcinogenic substances, benzo(a)pyrene, and debenz(a,h) anthracene were detected. The benzo(a)pyrene equivalent concentration(BaPeq) was $2.81{\mu}g/m^3$ at paver finisher operators, $2.07{\mu}g/m^3$ at paving laborers, $0.41{\mu}g/m^3$ at tire roller operators and $0.22{\mu}g/m^3$ at macadam roller operators. Asphalt road paving workers have higher benzo(a)pyrene equivalent(BaPeq) values even though at lower total PAHs concentration than workers in steel pipe coating and tar industry. Conclusions: Asphalt road paving workers were found to have risk of carcinogen exposure due to higher Benzo(a)pyrene equivalent concentration(BaPeq) than other PAHs exposure occupations. This study confirmed the carcinogenic hazards among asphalt paving workers.