Abstract
Welding or flame cutting of coated steel gives rise to organic contaminants in addition to inorganic fumes and gases. The exposure of metal workers to paint degradation products was studied by measuring the concentrations of characteristic pollutants in the breathing zone during welding, flame cutting, and straightening painted steel in Finnish shipyards. The sampling was done using an XAD-2 adsorption tube with a preconnected glass fiber filter and a chemosorbent tube for aldehydes. In each measurement 20 to 50 different organic pollutants could generally be identified. Air concentrations were usually below the threshold limit values for the individual compounds. The highest concentrations were measured in ship repairing and shipbreaking works. Noticeable concentrations were also measured at outfitting work on new ships during straightening and flame cutting processes. Many of the pollutants identified are known irritants, e.g., acrolein, formaldehyde, alkylbenzenes, phenols, and some are potential sensitizers, e.g., methacrylates, phthalic anhydride. Complaints about irritation do occur, indicating the need for preventive measures, although the measured concentrations are clearly below the threshold limit values for the individual compounds detected.