• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.39-49
• /
• 2002

In this study, limits of detection (LOD), accuracy and precision of four sampling/ analytical methods were evaluated and compared for the determination of airborne hexavalent chromium, Cr (VI). The methods include : (1) a combination of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 7600/U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 218.6 (NIOSH/EPA Method) proposed by Shin and Paik, 2) two impinger methods using 2% NaOH/3% Na$_2$CO$_3$. (3) same as (2) but with 0.02 N NaHCO$_3$absorbing solution, and (4) the Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Method ID-215. An ion chromatograph/visible absorbance detector was used for the analysis of Cr (VI) in sample solution. Limit of detection (LOD) , analytical accuracy, and precision were also tested using Cr (VI) spike samples. Recoveries (as index of accuracy) and coefficient of variation (CV) (as a index of precision) were determined. Two-way ANOVA and Turkey's test were performed to test the significance in differences among recoveries and CVs of the methods. In all the methods, the peaks of Cr (VI) were separated sharply on chromatograms and exhibited a strong linearity with Cr (VI) concentrations in solution. The correlation coefficients of calibration curves typically ranged from 0.9997 to 0.9999, and the analytical LODs from 0.025 to 0.1$\mu\textrm{g}$/sample. All the method had good sensitivities and linearities between Cr (VI) levels and peak areas. The accuracies (% mean recoveries) of the methods ranged from 80.1 to 104.2%, while the precisions (pooled coefficient of variation) ranged from 3.16 to 4.43%. The impinger methods showed higher recoveries ( > 95%) than those of the PVC filter methods (the OSHA Method and the NIOSH/EPA Method). It was assumed that Cr (VI) on PVC filter was exposed to air and reduced to trivalent chromium, Cr (III), whereas it was stabilized in alkali solution contained in impinger. Thus, a special treatment of Cr (VI) samples collected on PVC filters may be required.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
• /
• 2001.04a
• /
• pp.101-102
• /
• 2001

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.110-126
• /
• 1993

Worker exposures to total chromium, hexavalent chromium (VI), sulfuric acid and alkaline dust at electroplating operations and worker exposures to trichloroethylene (TCE) and methyl chloroform (MCM) at degreasing operations in eleven small industrial plants were evaluated. Appropriate local exhaust ventilation systems for both operations were designed and recommended. Results of the study are summarized as follows ; 1. Out of 134 measurements for airborne hexavalent chromium concentrations, seven were exceeding the Korean occupational health standard of $50{\mu}g/m^3$ and 45 were exceeding the NIOSH standard of $1{\mu}g/m^3$. With an exception of one measurement, concentrations of total chromium were below the Korean standard of $500{\mu}g/m^3$. 2. Worker exposures to chromium were closely related to the existing control methods at the electroplating operations. Local exhaust systems, partial coverage of the tank surface, and antifoaming agents on liquid surface were adopted as control methods. 3. With an exception of one sample, airborne concentrations of sulfuric acid and alkaline dusts were below the applicable occupational heatlth standards. 4. Three plants indicated that airborne concentrations of TCE and MCM were exceeding the Korean standards. Other plants showed lower concentrations than the standards. It should be noted that generally, the activities and workloads on the day of surveys were less than normal. 5. Since the most existing ventilation systems did not satisfy the ACGIH criteria, the ventilation systems should be improved. Some examples for designing appropriate ventilation systems are presented.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.209-223
• /
• 1998

The aim of this study was to evaluate welders' exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and nickel (Ni) during welding operations in a Korean shipyard. The airborne Cr(VI) and Ni concentrations were measured during metal inert gas (MIG) welding on mild and stainless steel, and manual metal arc (MMA) welding on mild steel. The geometric mean (GM) of Cr(VI) concentrations inside the welding helmet during MIG welding on mild steel were $0.0018mg/m^3$ inside a ship section, and $0.0015-0.0026mg/m^3$ at the welding shops. All of the personal breathing zone air samples were below the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value ($TLV^{(R)}$) of $0.01mg/m^3$. Conversely, eighty-eight percent(21 of 24) of the personal breathing zone air samples exceeded the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit of $0.001mg/m^3$. Ni was not detected on 20 of 23 air samples collected during MIG welding on mild steel. The three Ni samples above the limit of detection ranged from 0.015 to $0.044mg/m^3$. The GM of Cr(VI) concentrations during MMA welding on mild steel were $0.0013mg/m^3$, but Ni was not detected in the air samples during this operation. It is assumed that the airborne Cr(VI) and Ni during mild steel welding were derived from the base metals which contained about 0.03% Cr and 0.03% Ni. The GM of airborne total Cr, Cr(VI) and Ni concentrations during MIG welding on stainless steel were 4.02, 0.13 and $0.86mg/m^3$, respectively, and the levels of Cr(VI) and Ni were above the ACGIH-$TLV^{(R)}$. Cr(VI) comprised about 35.5% of the total chromium(Cr) from MIG welding on mild steel, and about 8.4% of total Cr from MIG welding on stainless steel. The ratios of Cr(VI) to total Cr were significantly different among welding shops. It was concluded that welders were exposed to high levels of Cr(VI) and Ni during welding on stainless steel, and were exposed to low levels of Cr(VI) even during welding on mild steel.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.465-474
• /
• 2002

In order to reflect variability due to exposure factors as well as to assess uncertainty associated with cancer risk posed by airborne trace metals, a Monte Calro analysis has been made in this study. Input parameters for Monte Carlo analysis were developed or adjusted using body weight, lifetime, and exposure frequency of Koreans. Ambient distributions of toxic metals were founded to be lognormal distributions for most of them using goodness-of-fit tests. Thus, the 95% UCL and 95% LCL of carcinogenic metals were estimated by H-statistic method for lognormal distribution, respectively. The results of Monte Carlo analysis of 95% UCL showed that the 95th percentile risks for men and women were 1.2 and 1.1 times higher than an acceptable risk of 10$^{-5}$ , respectively. The probabilities which those risks exceed the acceptable risk were estimated to be 8% and 6%, respectively, while to be 95% and 94%, respectively on the basis of the minimum acceptable risk of 10$^{-6}$ , respectively. Approximately 90% of total cancer risk came from human carcinogens such as arsenic and hexavalent chromium. Therefore, it is necessary to properly manage both arsenic and hexavalent chromium emissions in the study area.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.208-216
• /
• 2016

This paper reports the results of a field evaluation which used sampling and analytical methods to determine the levels of airborne hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) in major industrial complexes in Korea over a seven year period (2007-2013). Cr(VI) concentrations were determined using cellulose filter sampling and ion chromatography analysis. In order to validate the analytical performance of these methods, studies were also carried out to investigate data quality control (QC) parameters, such as the method detection limit (MDL), repeatability, and recovery efficiencies. The average concentrations of Cr(VI) for the nine industrial complexes in Korea were in the range of 0.09 to $1.40ng/m^3$, which is similar to of the concentrations in other industrial areas around the world. The impacts of Cr(VI) emissions from industrial areas on Cr(VI) concentrations in neighboring-residential areas were considerably low, and the dispersion of Cr(VI) from industrial areas to residential areas was estimated to be 'not-significant'. Cr(VI) levels were not affected by seasonal variation, which suggests that chromium was emitted continuously from the industrial sources throughout the year. The concentration of Cr(VI) measured accounted for 0.7 to 9.4 percent of the total chromium level, which is a low percentage compared to those in other urban areas around the world. This is the first report in an international journal of a field study conducted in Korea to determine the concentration of Cr(VI) in the ambient air of industrial and residential areas.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
• /
• 2002.04a
• /
• pp.40.1-43
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new sampling and analytical method for the determination of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI) in mist from field plating operation. The Procedures of this new method (Shin & Paik's Method) are as the following: Airborne hexavalent chromium is collected on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) filter according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 7600, and the filter sample is placed in a screw-capped vial and soaked with 2％ NaOH/3％ Na₂CO₃ solution immediately after sampling. The Cr(VI) sample is analyzed by ion chromatography/visible spectrophotometry (IC/VS) according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 218.6. The airborne Cr(VI) concentrations measured by this method were compared with those determined by three reference methods: One (NIOSH/EPA Method) consisted of sampling airborne Cr(VI) on PVC filters and storing the sample filters in screw-capped vials according to the NIOSH method, and analyzing Cr(VI) in samples using IC/VS according to the EPA method. The second method (Impinger Method/NaHCO₃) consisted of absorbing airborne Cr(VI) into 0.02 MN/sub a/Hco₃ solution in midget impinger, and analyzing the Cr(VI) in samples using IC/VS. The third method was the OSHA Method Id-215. Using these four different methods, four replicates of air samples were collected at an electroplating process and analyzed simultaneously. Two-way ANOVA and Paired t-test were used to test difference among values determined by the methods. There was no significant difference and a strong correlation (r/sup 2/=0.99) between Cr(VI) concentrations measured by the shin & Paik's Method and an impinger method (p＞0.05). However, Cr(VI) concentrations determined by Shin & Paik's Method were Significantly different form those by the NIOSH/EPA Method (p＜0.05) or the OSHA method (p＜0.05). The Cr(VI) concentrations of Shin & Paik's Method were Significantly higher than those of the NIOSH/EPA Method or the OSHA method. We concluded that the Shin & Paik's Method could prevent Cr(VI) losses caused by reduction and give more reliable results of airborne Cr(VI) concentrations in work environments.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.68-77
• /
• 1993

To evaluate efficiencies of the local exhaust systems installed in chromiun and nickel eletroplating tanks, specifications of each tank and general performances of the local exhaust systems were measured in 16 electroplating plants from July 3 to November 24, 1992. Airborne concentrations of total chromium, hexa-chromium and nickel were also measured, Most of the local exhaust systems installed in electroplating plants were inadequately designed. Average capture velocities of local exhaust systems in chromium and nickel tanks were 0.45 m/sec and 0.29 m/sec. Average slot velocities in chromium and nickel tanks were 7.30 m/sec and 2.87 m/sec repectively. Both average capture and solt velocities were in noncompliance with the standards recommened by American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Exhausted air volume was insufficient in all local exhaust systems surveyed. Worker exposure levels to total chromium, hexa-chromium and nickel were $43.0{\mu}g/m^3$, $1.7{\mu}g/m^3$ and $9.3{\mu}g/m^3$, which were below the Korean Standard and U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) Permissible Exposure Limit(REL). However, Worker exposure level to hexa-chromium exceeded the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit(REL) of $1{\mu}g/m^3$. As the result of Scheffee's multiple comparions, worker exposure levels to all metals were significantly different between two groups by the management state of existing local exhaust systems (p<0.05). However, Difference between a group with local exhaust systems which were poorly managed and another group without local exhaust system was satatistically non-significant.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.69-76
• /
• 2003

Hexavalent chromium may reduce on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) filter during sampling and storage of sample. Recently, new or modified filters for preventing Cr(VI) from the reduction has been introduced. Thus, this study was performed to compare the reduction behaviors of Cr(VI) on several sampling filters and to find the most appropriate filter for airborne Cr(VI) sampling in plating operation. The results were as follows. 1. There were statistically significant differences among PVC, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). glass fiber (GF) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) filters in recovery rates of spiked Cr(VI) samples by storage time(p<0.05). There was no significant difference between PVC and PTFE filters(p>0.05). The PVC and PTFE filters showed higher recoveries than GF and PVDF filters(p<0.05). 2. The quartz fiber(QF) filter treated with an alkali solution(2% NaOH/3% Na$_2$CO$_3$, 1% NaOH) showed a significantly higher recovery of Cr(VI) by storage time than other filters(GF and QF filter)(p<0.05). There was no difference in recovery of Cr(VI) between alkali-treated and untreated GF it filters(p>0.05). But the QF filters treated with two alkali solution showed a significantly higher recovery than the untreated QF filter(p<0.05). There was no significant difference in recovery of Cr(VI) between QF filters treated with 1% NaOH and 2% NaOH/3% Na$_2$CO$_3$(p>0.05). In conclusion, treatment of QF fillers with alkali solution was most effective in protecting from the reduction of Cr(VI).

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.271-276
• /
• 2000

The research centers on the health risk assessment of airborne toxic metals in Taejon third and fourth industrial complexes. Total suspended particulates were collected on glass microfibre filters by high volume air samplers. Fifteen toxic metals including 6 carcinogenic metals were analyzed by ICP-MS and ICP-AES after the pre-treatment of mixed acid extraction. The following results were summarized from the research : 1) the concentrations of TSPs were $17.7{\sim}219.6{\mu}g/m^3$ while the arithmetic mean concentration was $101.7{\mu}g/m^3$; 2) the arithmetic mean concentrations of human carcinogens such as arsenic, hexavalent chromium and nickel subsulfide were 10.22, 6.96 and 6.42 $ng/m^3$, respectively while those of probable human carcinogens such as beryllium, cadmium and lead were 0.13, 3.41, 97.65 $ng/m^3$, respectively; 3) the point risk estimate for the inhalation of carcinogenic metals was $1.5{\times}10^{-4}$, which was much higher than a risk standard of $10^{-5}$; 4) approximately 93% of the cancer risk were to the inhalation of human carcinogens, arsenic and hexavalent chromium, which should be properly managed in Taejon third and fourth industrial complexes.