Objective
i) To harmonize the methods used to take measurements at the workplace.
ii) To enhance information relating to PAH emissions.
iii) To study the risk factors which determine occupational exposure.
The results of the pollution control of the blast, furnace and steelwork suggest the need to evaluate the group of agents that constitute the airborne particulate mass, and at the same time show the need to determine the granulometric characteristics of the dust end to study the organic fraction where the PAH are present. The practice consisting in considering total dust as inert, or the interpretation of results in terms of iron oxide fumes is not satisfactory.
The risk of alveolar deposit of iron oxides, Fe, Mn, Cr, Mg, Ca, Na and K has been confirmed. The same occurs with the presence of various carcinogenic agents of the PAH series in air, among which B(a)P stands out. Moreover, the risk of silicosis, siderosilicosis and graphitosis is discarded as the agents favouring these illnesses do not participate in the inhalable particle fraction.
The sinergetic action of iron oxide on B(a)P should be pointed out, as well as the importance of the charge of the alcalis in the combined toxic action and the possible participation of OCa in transportation and absorbtion mechanics of PAH.
The levels of PAH that were observed are relatively low, particularly in the steelwork. The concentrations of Benzo(a)pyrene and Pyrene nevertheless, keep a good correlation with the total PAH or carcinogenic agents. This could make it possible in practice to use both hydrocarbons as reference to evaluate occupational exposure and make controls easier.
The growing concern shown in recent years by most industrialized countries as regards industrial carcinogens - particularly those inhaled by workers in coking plants - stems from the uninterrupted flow of epidemiological studies which have highlighted an irrefutable rise in the incidence of skin and lung cancer attributable mainly to the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are recognized as being carcinogenic, in tar pitch volatiles from the distillation process.
Harmonization of the measurement methods for the four parties involved in the research hinges on two objectives:
- establishing the differences between the equipment used in the different countries concerned, seeking a correlation as far as this is possible;
- adopting a standard procedure which can be applied in all countries.
In parallel with this our efforts will be directed at obtaining additional information focussing on ascertaining individual occupational exposure in an endeavour to optimize what could be a monitoring approach as regards the specific health risk to coking plant workers.
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Programme(s)
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Coordinator
33400 AVILES (Asturias)
Spain
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