![Sample our Engineering & Technology journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5933/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Engineering-Tech.jpg"})
Abstract
We analyzed soils from 14 active farms in the piedmont and coastal plain regions of North Carolina for aerodynamic equivalent diameter (AED) and quartz content to see whether or not respirable quartz in tilled soils was in such quantities as to be a potential health hazard. The respirable fraction (that portion with an AED of 4.25 μm or less) of the clay soils ranged from 0.08 to 0.18 (mean of 0.13), while that of the sandy soils ranged from 0.01 to 0.09 (mean of 0.04). Quartz levels in the respirable fraction of sandy soils (29.0 ± 11.1%) were consistently higher than in clay soils (2.17 ± 0.85%). Likewise, the mass of respirable quartz particles made up a greater portion of sandy soils (1.02 ± 0.39%) than clay soils (0.29 ± 0.15%). Reports of silicosis and dust-related lung disease among farmers and workers handling crops from sandy soils suggest that there may be a hazard associated with exposure to respirable quartz found in soil. Stopford, C.M.; Stopford, W.: Respirable Quartz Content of Farm Soils. Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 10(3): 196–199; 1995.
