National Technical Reports Library

The National Technical Information Service acquires, indexes, abstracts, and archives the largest collection of U.S. government-sponsored technical reports in existence. The NTRL offers online, free and open access to these authenticated government technical reports. Technical reports and documents in its repository may be available online for free either from the issuing federal agency, the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s Federal Digital System website, or through search engines.

Details

Technical Assistance Report No. TA-80-083-879, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

PB82162215

Publication Date	1981
Personal Author	Jannerfeldt, E.; Ruhe, R. L.
Page Count	11
Abstract	Worker exposures to metals and extractable organics were surveyed at the Washington Surburban Sanitary Commission's Western Branch Sewage Treatment Facility (SIC-4953) in Upper Marlboro, Maryland in July, 1980 and March, 1981. An unidentified individual requested the evaluation after three workers developed severe respiratory symptoms after exposure to incinerated sewage sludge ash. A medical questionnaire was administered to all employees in the incinerator department. Aluminum (7429905), calcium (7440702), iron (7439896), and magnesium (7439954) were the only metals present in bulk samples in concentrations greater than 1 percent. No organics except the solvent used in the extraction procedure were detected. Airborne concentrations of aluminum, calcium, iron, magnesium, nitrogen-dioxide (10102440), nitrous fumes, and carbon-monoxide (630080) were below recommended limits. None of the 12 workers completing the medical questionnaire reported respiratory symptoms or other work related health problems. No cause for the respiratory symptoms reported by the three affected workers was determined. The authors suggest that the symptoms may have resulted from high exposures to ash during maintenance performed on the ash collecting system. The authors conclude that a health hazard did not exist at the time of the surveys. They recommended the use of a vacuum system for the ash transport system, use of specially trained personnel for maintenance procedures entailing ash exposure, and monitoring of sludge and ash to facilitate detection of hazardous substances.
Keywords	Environmental surveys Industrial medicine Sewage treatment Exposure Toxicity Inspection Hazardous materials Aluminum Calcium Iron Magnesium Nitrogen dioxide Carbon monoxide Air pollution Toxic substances Occupational safety and health Indoor air pollution SIC-4953 CAS 7429-90-5 CAS 7440-70-2 CAS 7439-89-6 CAS 7439-95-4 CAS 10102-44-0 CAS 630-08-0
Source Agency	Centers for Disease Control Bureau of Laboratories National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NTIS Subject Category	57U - Public Health & Industrial Medicine 57Y - Toxicology 94D - Job Environment 68G - Environmental Health & Safety 68A - Air Pollution & Control
Corporate Authors	National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. Div. of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	198210

Technical Assistance Report No. TA-80-083-879, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Technical Assistance Report No. TA-80-083-879, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
PB82162215

Publication Date	1981
Personal Author	Jannerfeldt, E.; Ruhe, R. L.
Page Count	11
Abstract	Worker exposures to metals and extractable organics were surveyed at the Washington Surburban Sanitary Commission's Western Branch Sewage Treatment Facility (SIC-4953) in Upper Marlboro, Maryland in July, 1980 and March, 1981. An unidentified individual requested the evaluation after three workers developed severe respiratory symptoms after exposure to incinerated sewage sludge ash. A medical questionnaire was administered to all employees in the incinerator department. Aluminum (7429905), calcium (7440702), iron (7439896), and magnesium (7439954) were the only metals present in bulk samples in concentrations greater than 1 percent. No organics except the solvent used in the extraction procedure were detected. Airborne concentrations of aluminum, calcium, iron, magnesium, nitrogen-dioxide (10102440), nitrous fumes, and carbon-monoxide (630080) were below recommended limits. None of the 12 workers completing the medical questionnaire reported respiratory symptoms or other work related health problems. No cause for the respiratory symptoms reported by the three affected workers was determined. The authors suggest that the symptoms may have resulted from high exposures to ash during maintenance performed on the ash collecting system. The authors conclude that a health hazard did not exist at the time of the surveys. They recommended the use of a vacuum system for the ash transport system, use of specially trained personnel for maintenance procedures entailing ash exposure, and monitoring of sludge and ash to facilitate detection of hazardous substances.
Keywords	Environmental surveys Industrial medicine Sewage treatment Exposure Toxicity Inspection Hazardous materials Aluminum Calcium Iron Magnesium Nitrogen dioxide Carbon monoxide Air pollution Toxic substances Occupational safety and health Indoor air pollution SIC-4953 CAS 7429-90-5 CAS 7440-70-2 CAS 7439-89-6 CAS 7439-95-4 CAS 10102-44-0 CAS 630-08-0
Source Agency	Centers for Disease Control Bureau of Laboratories National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NTIS Subject Category	57U - Public Health & Industrial Medicine 57Y - Toxicology 94D - Job Environment 68G - Environmental Health & Safety 68A - Air Pollution & Control
Corporate Authors	National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. Div. of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	198210