Levels and determinants of exposure to vapours and aerosols of bitumen

Abstract

Bitumen (referred to as asphalt in the United States) is a widely used construction material, and emissions from hot bitumen applications have been a long-standing health concern. One objective of the Human Bitumen Study was to identify potential determinants of the exposure to bitumen. The study population analysed comprised 259 male mastic asphalt workers recruited between 2003 and 2008. Personal air sampling in the workers' breathing zone was carried out during the shift to measure exposure to vapours and aerosols of bitumen. The majority of workers were engaged in building construction, where exposure levels were lower than in tunnels but higher than at road construction sites. At building construction sites, exposure levels were influenced by the room size, the processing temperature of the mastic asphalt and the job task. The results show that protective measures should include a reduction in the processing temperature.

Respiratory Symptoms and Lung Functional Impairments Associated with Occupational Exposure to Asphalt Fumes

“…1,4,5,8,10,14,15 The findings of the current study are not consistent with the findings of some other studies. 12,18,19 While the exact reasons for these discrepancies are not clear, factors such as difference in the air concentration of asphalt fumes in different studies, asphalt temperature, the season when the study was conducted, air velocity, 26 direction of wind, 34 the method asphalt was scattered (manual or mechanical), the emission model of asphalt vapors and fumes, study sample size, how confounding variables were controlled, type of statistical analysis, workload, and the personal protective equipment used may explain in part, this issue.…”

“…37 Additionally, it is worth noting that the study was conducted in winter when, due to cold temperature, the concentrations of asphalt fumes were minimal. 34 Therefore, it would plausible to assume that subjects in summer and hot seasons are exposed to higher concentrations of asphalt fumes, 34 and thus, their cumulative exposure is likely to exceed the existing TLV values.…”

Temperature-Dependent Emission Concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Paving and Built-Up Roofing Asphalts

“…While a historical cohort of European asphalt workers revealed a complex pattern of determinants of exposure with temperature explaining a small percentage (7-14%) of variability in exposure in non-mastic applications (Burstyn et al, 2000). Yet, in a subset of German mastic asphalt workers, application temperature was a statistically significant predictor of exposure to asphalt vapors and aerosols (Spickenheuer et al, 2011). In the laboratory, chemical-specific emission rates of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations have been linked to temperature (Lange and Stroup-Gardiner, 2007).…”

The human bitumen study hits the headlines

“…1) below. (References in Table 1: van Thriel and Marchan, 2012[10]; Raulf-Heimsoth et al, 2011[6]; Breuer et al, 2011[1]; Spickenheuer et al, 2011[9]; Pesch et al, 2011[3]; Raulf-Heimsoth et al, 2011[5]; Marczynski et al, 2011[2]; Welge et al, 2011[11]; Rihs et al, 2011[7]; Raulf-Heimsoth et al, 2011[4])…”