Occupational Exposure to Diesel Particulate Matter in Municipal Household Waste Workers

Abstract

ObjectiveThe purposes of this study were to determine the following: 1) the exposure levels of municipal household waste (MHW) workers to diesel particulate matter (DPM) using elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), total carbon (TC), black carbon (BC), and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) as indicators; 2) the correlations among the indicators; 3) the optimal indicator for DPM; and 4) factors that influence personal exposure to DPM.MethodsA total of 72 workers in five MHW collection companies were assessed over a period of 7 days from June to September 2014. Respirable EC/OC samples were quantified using the thermal optical transmittance method. BC and PM 2.5 were measured using real-time monitors, an aethalometer and a laser photometer. All results were statistically analyzed for occupational and environmental variables to identify the exposure determinants of DPM.ResultsThe geometric mean of EC, OC, TC, BC and PM 2.5 concentrations were 4.8, 39.6, 44.8, 9.1 and 62.0 μg/m3, respectively. EC concentrations were significantly correlated with the concentrations of OC, TC and BC, but not with those of PM 2.5. The exposures of the MHW collectors to EC, OC, and TC were higher than those of the drivers (p<0.05). Workers of trucks meeting Euro 3 emission standard had higher exposures to EC, OC, TC and PM 2.5 than those working on Euro 4 trucks (p<0.05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the job task, European engine emission standard, and average driving speed were the most influential factors in determining worker exposure.ConclusionsWe assessed MHW workers’ exposure to DPM using parallel sampling of five possible indicators. Of these five indicators, EC was shown to be the most useful indicator of DPM exposure for MHW workers, and the job task, European emission standard, and average driving speed were the main determinants of EC exposure.

Exposure assessment of elemental carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and crystalline silica at the underground excavation sites for top-down construction buildings

“…A comparison with the exposure of workers in different occupations to various levels of concentrations of EC showed similar levels of exposure to firefighters in the United States of America at 35 μg/m 3 [ 38 ], bus drivers in the United Kingdom at 31 μg/m 3 [ 39 ], and bus drivers in Estonia at 38 μg/m 3 [ 40 ]. However, it the exposure was higher than that for workers of concrete pouring at 20 μg/m 3 , workers of construction sites of express highways at 8 μg/m 3 , workers of ordinary excavation works at 7 μg/m 3 [ 14 , 21 ], street cleaning workers getting aboard diesel vehicles at 10.7 μg/m 3 [ 21 ] and 4.8 μg/m 3 [ 41 ], forklift drivers at 2.1–23.8 μg/m 3 [ 42 ], workers in the underground parking lots of commercial buildings at 12.2 μg/m 3 [ 43 ], and of workers engaged in maintenance of buses at 15.5 μg/m 3 [ 44 ].…”

Exposure Assessment to Asbestos and Diesel Engine Exhaust Particulate Matter in Urban Bus Garage

“…그러나 국내에서 2012년 이전에 는 디젤 엔진 배출물질에 대한 직업적 노출 보고를 찾기 힘들다. 최근에 국내 환경미화원의 디젤엔진 배 출물질에 대한 직업적 노출 보고가 있었다 (Lee, 2015). (Whittaker et al, 1999 Ⅲ.…”

A task-based analysis of black carbon exposure in Iowa farmers during harvest

“…(30) The microAeth® (MA) is increasingly used in personal, vehicular, and occupational studies. (5, 28, 31, 32) However, chamber experiments that compare the MA to a standard reference method for EC at realistic field concentrations (≤25 μg/m 3 ) are necessary to compare diesel exposure levels between studies using the two diesel exposure metrics. Obtaining an MA correction factor compared to an EC standard reference method is an important step in quantifying both occupational and general population exposures.…”