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

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)
Publication Information
Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene / v.23, no.2, 2013 , pp. 164-168 More about this Journal
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
scrap iron; steelmaking; smelting; lead;
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