Evaluating Occupational Exposure of Workers for Metallurgy with Alkanol Amines

Abstract

Liquids being used in metallurgy are a composition of dangerous chemicals including Alkanol amines. Alkanol amines include Mono-, Di- and 3- ethanol amine. Alkanol amines are used as lubricant in metallurgy. Dermal absorption of these chemical substances is so important and some studies are being done about carcinogenesis of these chemical substances. Meanwhile, ethanol amine has been recognized as a factor causing occupational asthma. The present study was done on 29 turnery and rolling workers in Cupper Industrial Complex of Sarcheshmeh in descriptive- sectional manner. Data related to concentration of Alkanol amines in the atmosphere were gathered with the method proposed by NIOSH and data for pulmonary function were extracted from spirometry experiments. Demographic data were obtained from medical files of the workers. Statistical tests were carried out using software SPSS. In this study, workers' Time Weighted Average (TWA) individual exposure to Mono-ethanol amine (MEA) with density scope 0.03- 1.16, exposure to Di-ethanol amine (DEA) with density scope 0.36-1.35 and exposure to TEA with density scope 0.49-1.28 equal 0.54, 0.87 and 0.85 mg/m3 respectively without occupational group separation for each. Also, FVC reduction in studied individuals without occupational group separation was 3.17% (SD= 6.55%). The results indicated that workers' Time Weighted Average exposure to Mono-Di-Tri- ethanol amine was lower than occupational legal limit. In rolling process, exposure to Alkanol amines is lower compared to other processes of metallurgy because of semi- enclosure of this process. Having done Pearson correlation test to determine relation between individuals' work experience and FVC reduction, it was observed that there is no meaningful relation between these two variables.