| Publication Date |
1982 |
| Personal Author |
Cubit, D. A.; Tanita, R. K. |
| Page Count |
232 |
| Abstract |
An industrial hygiene assessment was conducted at five coal liquefaction facilities to determine employee exposures to suspected hazardous chemicals. Air sampling was performed to determine levels of polynuclear aromatics (PNAs), the simple aromatics, aromatic amines, and several toxic gases. The results of both area and personal air sampling showed that workers were exposed to numerous PNAs usually at low microgram per cubic meter concentrations. The light molecular weight 2 to 3 ring PNAs were found in the highest concentration with very small or no quantities of the 4 through 7 ring compounds detected. Highest exposures to PNAs were associated with maintenance activities being carried out in the process area during facility operation. The results of air sampling for aromatic amines, phenolic compounds and the simple aromatic compounds showed that these chemicals were present only at very low levels and that airborne exposures to these compounds may not be a major health hazard during normal operations. However, skin absorption would remain a concern. Nonquantitative wipe sampling for PNAs revealed the presence of up to 5 ring PNA compounds on most surfaces sampled, indicating that dermal exposure to higher ring PNAs may present a potential health hazard. |
| Keywords |
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| Source Agency |
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| NTIS Subject Category |
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| Corporate Authors |
Dynamac Corp., Rockville, MD.; National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. |
| Supplemental Notes |
Sponsored by National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. |
| Document Type |
Technical Report |
| NTIS Issue Number |
199009 |
| Contract Number |
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