Exposure levels

SAN resins themselves appear to pose few health problems in that they have been approved by the EDA for beverage botde use (149). The main concern is that of toxic residuals, eg, acrylonitrile, styrene, or other polymerization components such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, or solvents. Each component must be treated individually for toxic effects and safe exposure level. 

Environmental impact studies on NE have been performed. Although undiluted NE inhibits seed growth, no effect on plant growth was observed when exposed to 6, 000 ppm-min of NE and only minor effects were observed at the 60, 000 ppm-min exposure level (41). Exposure of microbial populations to 25% NE in air for seven hours showed normal growth. NE is not an o2one-depleting gas (20). 

Fig. 3. Confidence limits for exposure levels. A, noncompliance B, possible overexposure C, compliance. STD is the standard value, LCL and UCL represent lower and upper confidence levels, between which it is 95% certain that the tme exposure Hes, and and correspond to two separate...

Safety Standards. Protection from laser beams involves not allowing laser radiation at a level higher than a maximum permissible exposure level to strike the human body. Maximum permissible exposure levels for both eyes and skin have been defined (55—57). One of the most common safety measures is the use of protective eyewear. Manufacturers of laser safety eyewear commonly specify the attenuation at various laser wavelengths. Under some conditions safety eyewear has been known to shatter or to be burned through (58), and it is not adequate to protect a wearer staring directly into the beam. 

Maleic Anhydride. The ACGIH threshold limit value in air for maleic anhydride is 0.25 ppm and the OSHA permissible exposure level (PEL) is also 0.25 ppm (181). Maleic anhydride is a corrosive irritant to eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Pulmonary edema (collection of fluid in the lungs) can result from airborne exposure. Skin contact should be avoided by the use of mbber gloves. Dust respirators should be used when maleic anhydride dust is present. Maleic anhydride is combustible when exposed to heat or flame and can react vigorously on contact with oxidizers. The material reacts exothermically with water or steam. Violent decompositions of maleic anhydride can be catalyzed at high temperature by strong bases (sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, alkaU metals, and amines). Precaution should be taken during the manufacture and use of maleic anhydride to minimize the presence of basic materials. 

Health and Safety. Petroleum and oxygenate formulas are either flammable or combustible. Flammables must be used in facUities that meet requirements for ha2ardous locations. Soak tanks and other equipment used in the removing process must meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for use with flammable Hquids. Adequate ventilation that meets the exposure level for the major ingredient must be attained. The work environment can be monitored by active air sampling and analysis of charcoal tubes. 

Health and Safety. Both N-methylpyrrohdinone and dibasic esters have very low vapor pressure which limits worker exposure to vapors. Manufacturers recommend that the same safety precautions be taken as with other organic solvents. Ha2ardous location requirements must be considered if the formula is flammable. Ventilation that reduces vapors to manufacturer s recommended exposure levels should be used. 

Health and Safety Factors. Terephthahc acid has a low order of toxicity. Inhalation by rats for 6 h/d, 5 d/wk for 4 wk produced no fatahties at a dust exposure level of 25 mg/m. The mean acute oral toxicity for rats is over 18 g/kg (86), and for mice over 6 g/kg (87). When terephthahc acid was fed as 3% of the diet to rats, urinary calcuh formed in 90 d, some of which led to cancer. High doses of terephthahc acid lead to formation of calcium terephthalate at levels exceeding its solubihty in urine. This insoluble material leads to the calcuh and provides a threshold below which cancer is not observed (88). Normal precautions used in handling industrial chemicals should be observed with terephthahc acid. If ventilation is inadequate, a toxic-dust respirator should be used to avoid prolonged exposure. 

Acute Toxicity Studies. These studies should provide the following information the nature of any local or systemic adverse effects occurring as a consequence of a single exposure to the test material an indication of the exposure conditions producing the adverse effects, in particular, information on dose—response relationships, including minimum and no-effects exposure levels and data of use in the design of short-term repeated exposure studies. 

The replacement of asbestos fibers by other fibrous materials has raised similar health issues in relation to substitute materials. However, since lung cancer has a latency period of approximately 25 years, and since the fiber exposure levels in contemporary industries is far lower than those which prevailed half a century ago, the epidemiological data on most substitutes is insufficient. A possible exception is slag fibers for which several studies on worker populations are available over extended periods (44) some results show a substantial increase in lung cancer occurrence. Consequentiy, the toxicity of asbestos substitute fibers remains a subject of active investigation. 

Safe Exposure Levels. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has adopted workplace exposure limits designed to keep airborne concentrations weU below the levels known to cause health problems (35) including ( ) daUy time-weighted average (TWA) exposure over an eight-hour day is not to exceed beryUium concentrations of 2 lg/m of air and (2) short-term exposure should not exceed beryUium concentrations of 25... 

The ACGIH recommended maximum time-weighted average concentration in the workplace atmosphere for eight-hour daily exposure is 10 ppm. OSHA has set the permissible exposure level at 2 ppm. It maybe desirable to exclude alcohoHcs, persons with chronic disorders of the Hver, kidneys, and central nervous system, and those with nutritional deficiencies from working with chloroform. 

Toxicity. 1,1-Dichloroethane, like all volatile chlorinated solvents, has an anesthetic effect and depresses the central nervous system at high vapor concentrations. The 1991 American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends a time-weighted average (TWA) solvent vapor concentration of 200 ppm and a permissible short term exposure level (STEL) of 250 ppm for worker exposure. The oral LD q of... 

No teratogenic effects were observed in mice and rats exposed to vapor concentrations of 300 ppm. Exposure levels having no effect on the mother are not anticipated to affect the fetus (36). 

Environmental exposures to PCBs are significantly lower than those reported in the workplace and are therefore unlikely to cause adverse human health effects in adults. However, it is apparent from the results of several recent studies on children that there was a correlation between in utero exposure to PCBs, eg, cord blood levels, and developmental deficits (65—68) including reduced bkth weight, neonatal behavior anomaUes, and poorer recognition memories. At four years of age, there was stiU a correlation between prenatal PCB exposure levels and short-term memory function (verbal and quantitative). In these studies the children were all exposed to relatively low environmental levels of PCBs. Although these effects may be related to other contaminants, it is clear that this is an area of concern regarding the potential adverse human health impacts of PCBs. 

Chromium Exposure Levels and U.S. Government Regulations. The level of exposure to chromium compounds for employees in industry and for the general population via waste disposal and industrial emissions is the subject of much regulation, research, and controversy. Some U.S. Government regulations, such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and LiabiUty Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund Act, make no distinction as to the oxidation state of chromium (144). However, there is valence distinction in other regulations. 

The exposure level estabUshed by NIOSH for the workplace is 0.1 mg/m (42). ACGIH has recommended a TLV of 0.05 mg/m for cobalt. At the ACGIH worker exposure levels it has been suggested that occupational health problems would not occur (41). 

PEL means permissible exposure level (similar to TLV but devel-... 

In general, clinical studies provide evidence on the effects of air pollutants under reproducible laboratory conditions. The exposure level may be accurately determined. The physiological effect may be quantified, and the health status of the subject is well known. This type of study can determine the presence or absence of various endpoints for a given sample group exposed to short-term, low-level concentrations of various air pollutants. 

Static sampling systems are defined as those that do not have an active air-moving component, such as the pump, to pull a sample to the collection medium. This type of sampling system has been used for over 100 years. Examples include the lead peroxide candle used to detect the presence of SO2 in the atmosphere and the dust-fall bucket and trays or slides coated with a viscous material used to detect particulate matter. This type of system suffers from inability to quantify the amount of pollutant present over a short period of time, i.e., less than 1 week. The potentially desirable characteristics of a static sampling system have led to further developments in this type of technology to provide quantitative information on pollutant concentrations over a fked period of time. Static sampling systems have been developed for use in the occupational environment and are also used to measure the exposure levels in the general community, e.g., radon gas in residences. 

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