Abstract
Objectives: Paints contain various types of metal substances. However, our review of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for paints found that their components were often kept secret or exact content information was otherwise not provided. We analyzed the metal elements in various inorganic pigment-based paints available in South Korea in this study and checked whether they contain hazardous metal substances as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Acts. We investigated issues of health hazard classification related to the metal elements. The study is intended to contribute to strengthening the management of hazardous substances by suggesting improvements to MSDS. Methods: We randomly selected 19 samples that were predicted to contain hazardous inorganic pigments after reviewing MSDS among paints currently in use. The samples were analyzed using XRF (X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry), ICP_OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy) and SP-ICP-MS (Single Particle-ICP-Mass Spectroscopy). Results: The most common elements in the samples were Al (aluminum), Fe (iron), Ti (titanium), Ca (calcium), and Si (silica). One sample contained more lead than allowed by the limits. There were ten samples that could potentially contain nanoforms, seven samples that contained titanium dioxide, and six samples that contained complex inorganic color pigments (CICPs). Conclusions: Inorganic pigments in paints should be evaluated for hazards separately from other metallic compounds and reflected in the MSDS because they have different characteristics than other metallic compounds. These include particle size, crystal structure, and complex substances. The results of this study can be helpful for determining whether a paint contains sufficient hazardous metal compounds to affect its classification, and it can be a guideline for improving MSDS through comparative review and rationalization with the manufacturer's MSDS. This would make it possible to contribute to the management of chemical substances in the workplace through the proper MSDS disclosure of paints.
