Industrial Hygiene & Safety (IH&S)

Although enclosing hoods are often deemed the most effective type of hoods for industrial processes, there is little published research concerning enclosing hoods that are suitable for industrial conditions. Studies of laboratory hoods suggest that face velocity and the presence of a worker mannikin affect the level of contaminant reaching the face of the hood.

Equilibrium phase distribution coefficients are used to describe the degree of transfer from inhaled air to blood, or from blood to exhaled air in models of solvent pharmacokinetics such as are used for toxicological assessment pruposes. A review of the literature shows examples of interexperimental blood/air partition coefficient values for specific solvents that very by a factor of 2.5.

Isocyanates are widely used as hardeners in tw-component paints and in the production of plyurethane materials. Commercially available isocyanates exist as monomers, dimers or polymers. Exposure to isocyanates can cause respiratory problems and can induce asthma-like symptoms in sensitized individuals at low exposure levels.

According to NIOSH, sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is the most widely used chemical in industry, and is employed in the manufacture of fertilizers, petroleum refining, electroplating and acid cleaning, in storage batteries and as a starting material for a great many other chemicals.

The objectives of this study were to compare the change in pulmonary mechanics and nasal function upon exposure to low levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) between a group of African-American asthmatic males and a group of Caucasian asthmatic males, of similar income and education level.

Much of the research regarding organophosphorous insecticides in soil has focused on insecticide efficacy/degradation for agricultural production, potential groundwater leaching and the establishment of worker reentry levels.

The potential for high lead level exposure at indoor firing ranges has been recognized since the 1940s. Yet there have been occupational studies on lead exposures to employees and firing aRMS instructors at indoor firing ranges. These studies have been completed in the 1970s and 1980s consistently documented blood lead levels above 60 ug/dl as well as excessively high air lead levels.

Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) in the form of enclosing and capturing hoods is meant to protect workers from unhealthy exposures and to capture and remove airborne hazards before those contaminants can enter the worker's breathing zone or the general working environment.

This study evaluates occupational exposure to perchloroethylene (PCE) among commercial dry cleaning workers (n=72), typically in small businesses with fewer than 15 employees. No eligibility restrictions were imposed on volunteers according to sex or age; but, shops currently not using PCE were excluded.

Lung organ culture is a method that allows lung tissue to be maintained with normal architecture for 4-6 weeks in vitro. The lungs of rats were infused intratracheally with a warmed 0.5% agarose solution in serum free culture medium. The initial infusion inflates the lung, the agarose solution then solidifies at room temperature, maintaining the lung in an inflated state.

Breath sampling has been proposed as a non-invasive method of biological monitoring of workers exposed to organic solvents. To correct breath sampling variability, CO2 has been used as a normalizing factor. This method is based on the assumptions that individual alveolar CO2 concentrations are reasonably close to the normalizing factor used (i.e.

Conventional indoor air quality modeling has used variations on the mass balance box model to describe contaminant concentration and ventilation characteristics. An alternative model based on turbulent diffuson predicts that concentration from a point source would fall with increasing distance from the source.

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to characterize the degree to which employees in Washington state are exposed to hard metal particulates (cobalt, chromium), and to identify engineering or environmental determinants of exposure. Ninety-nine subjects were recruited from 11 different shops.

Assessing exposures to chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin presents the industrial hygienist with a perplexing and sometimes frustrating dilemma. The fact that three of the articles appearing in the February 1993 AIHA Journal addressed surface wipe sampling is a testament to an increasing concern over the impact of dermally absorbed chemicals.

The ecological and environmental impacts of the deposition of aqueous acids, acid gasses, and acidic salts have been of growing concern in the past decade. However, not until recently have the impacts of these acids on human heallth been in the forefront of toxicological research.