• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.113-131
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• 1997

This study was performed to evaluate the exposure levels of worker exposed to welding fume and metals in confined spaces of a shipyard. The airborne concentration of welding fumes and metal elements in confined spaces were compared with those in open working areas. Results of the study were as follows. 1. The geometric mean of welding fume concentration in a confined space was $16.6mg/m^3$, which contained $3.9mg/m^3$ Fe, $1.2mg/m^3$ Mg, $0.8mg/m^3$ Zn, $0.008mg/m^3$ Cu, $0.008mg/m^3$ Pb, $0.005mg/m^3$ Ni, $0.003mg/m^3$ Cr, $0.003mg/m^3$ Cd. The geometric mean of welding fume concentration in open working areas was $5.2mg/m^3$, which contained $1.1mg/m^3$ Fe, $0.3mg/m^3$ Mg, $0.3mg/m^3$ Zn, $0.004mg/m^3$ Cu, $0.008mg/m^3$ Pb, $0.005mg/m^3$ Ni, $0.003mg/m^3$ Cr, $0.0003mg/m^3$ Cd. The geometric mean of welding fume concentration in confined spaces was 3,2 times higher than that in open working areas. The geometric mean concentrations of such metals as Fe, Mg, Zn, or Cu within fume in confined spaces were 2-4 times higher than those in open working areas, while little difference made such metals as Pb, Ni, Cr, Cd. 2. In 32 samples out of a total of 39 samples (82.1%) collected in confined spaces, the concentrations of welding fume exceeded TLV. while so did 19 samples out of 33 samples (57.6%) in open working areas. As for the concentrations of metals in welding flume from confined spaces, Fe exceeded TLV in 14 out of a total of 38 samples (36.8%), Mn exceeded TLV in 23 out of a total of 38 samples (60.5%). As for the concentration of metals in welding fume from open working areas, Fe exceeded TLV in 3 out of a total of 34 samples (8.8%), Mn exceeded TLV in 6 out of a total of 34 samples (17.6%). Considering additive effect among metals, in 31 out of a total of 39 samples (79.5%) collected in confined spaces, the concentrations of welding fume exceeded TLV, while so did 14 out of 38 samples (55.6%) in open working areas. 3. In respect of base metal and welding type the concentration of total welding fume by $CO_2$ gas W./mild steel was the highest, followed by semiauto MMA/mild steel, then followed by TIG or $CO_2$ gas W./stainless steel. ; as for concentration of metal within fume, a decreasing order was Fe, Zn, Mn, and Pb in $CO_2$ gas W./mild steel and semiauto MMA/mild steel, but Fe, Mn, Cr, and Ni in TIG or $CO_2$ gas W./stainless steel. 4. In case of welding base metal covered by paint, contents of Zn within red paint chip and within gray paint chip were 14.0% and 0.08% respectively, which showed a little difference, while the airborne concentrations of Zn within fume during welding base metal covered red paint and gray paint were $1.351mg/m^3$ and $1.018mg/m^3$ respectively, which showed little difference. As for Pb, contents of red paint chip and gray paint chip were 0.14% and 0.08% respectively, and the airborne concentrations within fume during welding base metal covered red paint and gray paint were $0.009mg/m^3$ and $0.007mg/m^3$ respectively, both of which showed little difference.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.1 s.49
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• pp.43-57
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• 1995

In order to study the effect of welding fume exposure upon the pulmonary function test, we examined 131 shielded arc welding workers, and 152 $CO_2$ arc welding workers as cases and 177 control workers for their general characteristics, and forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second $(FEV_{1.0})$, forced expiratory volume in one second as a percent of FVC $(FEV_{1.0}%)$, and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMF) were obtained from the spirogram. In shielded arc welding group and $CO_2$ arc welding group, FVC, $FEV_{1.0},\;FEV_{1.0}%$, and MMF were significantly decreased than control group, especially marked in the MMF finding. The distribution of workers below normal range was as follows. in the shielded arc welding group, 2 workers(1.5%) for FVC, 17 workers(13.0%) for $FEV_{1.0}$, 5 workers(3.8%) for $FEV_{1.0}%$, 28 workers(21.4%) for MMF, and in the $CO_2$ arc welding group, 3 workers(2.0%) for FVC, 25 workers(16.4%) for $FEV_{1.0}$, 8 workers(5.3%) for $FEV_{1.0}%$, and 37 workers(24.3%) for MMF, and significant increase by exposure duration was found in MMF. The distribution of workers who had ventilation impairment was as follows: 5 workers(3.8%) for obstructive type, 2 workers(1.5%) for restrictive type in the shielded arc welding group, and 7 workers(4.6%) for obstructive type, 2 workers(1.3%) for restrictive type, and 1 worker(0.6%) was combined type of the $CO_2$ arc welding group. In the respect of these results, the significant pulmonary function and ventilatory impairment were observed in welding fume exposed workers who had not abnormal finding in chest X-ray, and MMF considered as the most sensitive pulmonary function index by welding fume exposure. Therefore even if it is hard to doing pulmonary function test in the first health examination of workers according to the Industrial Safety Health Act in the welding fume exposure workers, it is desirable to consider doing PFT. Also evaluating the ventilation impairment, it is necessary, to observe the change of MMF that marker of effort-independent portion.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2001

The EDXRF(Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer) technique was applied to the determination of heavy metals in welding fume. The EDXRF method designed in this study was a non-destructive analysis method. Samples were analyzed directly by EDXRF without any pre-treatment such as digestion and dilution. The samples used to evaluate this method were laboratory samples exposed in a chamber connected with a welding fume generator. The samples were first analyzed using a non-destructive EDXRF method. The samples subsequently were analyzed using AAS method to verify accuray of the EDXRF method. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of the non-destructive analysis of heavy metals in welding fume by EDXRF. The results of this study were as follow: 1.When the samples were collected under the open-face sampling condition, a surface distribution of welding fume particles on sample filters was uniform, which made non-destructive analysis possible. 2. The method was statistically evaluated according to the NIOSH(National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and HSE(Health and Safety Executive) method. 3. The overall precision of the EDXRF method Was calculated at 3.45 % for Cr, 2.57 % for Fe and 3.78 % for Mn as relative standard deviation(RSD), respectively. The limits of detection were calculated at $0.46{\mu}g$/sample for Cr, $0.20{\mu}g$/sample for Fe and $1.14{\mu}g$/sample for Mn, respectively. 4. A comparison between the results of Cr, Fe, Mn analyzed by EDXRF and AAS was made in order to assess the accuracy of EDXRF method. The correlation coefficient between the results of EDXRF and AAS was 0.9985 for Cr, 0.9995 for Fe and 0.9982 for Mn, respectively. The overall uncertainty was determined to be ${\pm}12.31%$, 8.64 % and 11.91 % for Cr, Fe and Mn, respectively. In conclusion, this study showed that Cr, Fe, Mn in welding fume were successfully analyzed by the EDXRF without any sample pre-treatment such as digestion and dilution and a good correlation between the results of EDXRF and AAS was obtained. It was thus possible to use the EDXRF technique as an analysis method of working environment samples. The EDXRF method was an efficient method in a non-destructive analysis of heavy metals in welding fume.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.56-72
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• 1999

Airborne concentrations of welding fumes in which 13 different metals such as Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti, and Zn were analyzed were measured at 18 factories including automobile assembly and manufactures, steel heavy industries and shipyards. Air samples were collected by personal sampler at each worker's worksite(n=339). Blood levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn were also measured from samples taken from 447 welders by atomic absorption spectrometry and compared with control values obtained from 127 non-exposed workers. The results were as follows ; 1. Among various welding types, $CO_2$ welding 70.2 % were widely used, shielded metal arc welding(SMAW) 22.1 % came next, and rest of them were metal inert gas(MIG) welding, submerged arc welding(SAW), spot welding(SPOT) and tungsten inert gas(TIG) welding. 2. Welding fume concentration was $0.92mg/m^3$($0.02{\sim}15.33mg/m^3$) at automobile assembly and manufactures, $4.10mg/m^3$($0.02{\sim}70.75mg/m^3$) at steel heavy industries and $5.59mg/m^3$($0.30{\sim}91.16mg/m^3$) at shipyards, respectively, showing significant difference among industry types. Workers exposed to high concentration of welding fumes above Korean Permissible Exposure Limit(KPEL) amounted to 7.9 % and 12.5 %, in $CO_2$ welding and in SMAW at automobile assembly and manufactures and 62.7 % in $CO_2$ welding, and 12.5 % in SMAW at shipyards, and 66.2 % in $CO_2$ welding and 70.6 % in SMAW at steel heavy industries. 3. Geometric mean of airborne concentration of each metal released from welding fumes was below one 10th of KPEL in all welding types. Percentage of workers, however, exposed to airborne concentration of metals above KPEL amounted to 16.8 % in Mn and 7.6 % in Fe in $CO_2$ welding; 37.5 % in Cu in SAW, 30 % in Cu in TIG; and 25 % in Pb in SPOT welding. As a whole, 76 Workers(22.4%) were exposed to high concentration of any of the metals above KPEL. 4. There were differences in airborne concentration of metals such as Al, Cd, Cr, Cu. Fe. Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti and Zn by industry types. These concentrations were higher in shipyards and steel heavy industries than in automobile assembly and manufactures. Workers exposed to higher concentration of Pb above KPEI amounted to 7.4 % of workers(7/94) in automobile assembly and manufactures. In shipyards, 19.2 % of workers(19/99) were over-exposed to Mn and 7.1 % (7/99) to Fe above KPEL. In steel heavy industries, 14.4 %(21/146), 7.5 %(11/146) and 13 %(19/146) were over-exposed to Mn, Fe and Cu, respectively. As a whole, 76 out of 339 workers(22.4%) were exposed to any of the metals above KPEL. 5. Blood levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn in welders were $0.11{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $0.84{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $424.4{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $1.26{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $5.01{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$ and $5.68{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively, in contrast to $0.09{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $0.70{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $477.2{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $0.73{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $3.14{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$ and $6.15{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ in non-exposed control groups, showing significantly higher values in welders but Fe and Zn.