Rosenberg Christina, Hämeilä Mervi, Tornaeus Jarkko, Säkkinen Kirsi, Puttonen Katriina, Korpi Anne, Kiilunen Mirja, Linnainmaa Markku, Hesso Antti
Department of Work Environment Development, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 aA, Helsinki, Finland.
Ann Occup Hyg. 2011 Jul;55(6):658-65. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/mer033.
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) contains various hazardous substances such as flame retardants (FRs). Inhalation exposures to many FRs simultaneously among WEEE recycling site workers have been little studied previously. The breathing zone airborne concentrations of five brominated FR compounds tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A), decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), hexabromocyclododecane, 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane, hexabromobenzene, and one chlorinated FR (Dechlorane Plus®) were measured at four electronics recycling sites in two consecutive years. In addition, concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated biphenyls were measured. The three most abundant FRs in personal air samples were PBDEs (comprising mostly of deca-BDE), TBBP-A, and DBDPE, with mean concentrations ranging from 21 to 2320 ng m(-)(3), from 8.7 to 430 ng m(-3), and from 3.5 to 360 ng m(-3), respectively. At two of the sites, the emission control actions (such as improvements in ventilation and its maintenance and changes in cleaning habits) proved successful, the mean levels of FRs in personal samples being 10-68 and 14-79% of those from the previous year or alternatively below the limit of quantification. At the two remaining sites, the reductions in FR exposures were less consistent. The concentrations reported may pose a health hazard to the workers, although evaluation of the association between FR exposure and adverse health effects is hampered by lacking occupational exposure limits. Therefore, the exposures should be minimized by adequate control measures and maintaining good occupational hygiene practice.
废弃电子电气设备（WEEE）含有多种有害物质，如阻燃剂（FRs）。此前很少有关于WEEE回收场地工人同时吸入多种FRs的研究。连续两年在四个电子回收场地测量了呼吸带空气中五种溴化FR化合物四溴双酚A（TBBP - A）、十溴二苯乙烷（DBDPE）、六溴环十二烷、1,2 - 双（2,4,6 - 三溴苯氧基）乙烷、六溴苯以及一种氯化FR（Dechlorane Plus®）的浓度。此外，还测量了多溴二苯醚（PBDEs）和多溴联苯的浓度。个人空气样本中含量最高的三种FRs是PBDEs（主要由十溴二苯醚组成）、TBBP - A和DBDPE，平均浓度分别为21至2320 ng m⁻³、8.7至430 ng m⁻³和3.5至360 ng m⁻³。在其中两个场地，排放控制措施（如改善通风及其维护以及改变清洁习惯）被证明是成功的，个人样本中FRs的平均水平是上一年的10 - 68%和14 - 79%，或者低于定量限。在另外两个场地，FR暴露的降低不太一致。尽管由于缺乏职业接触限值，对FR暴露与不良健康影响之间的关联评估受到阻碍，但报告的浓度可能对工人构成健康危害。因此，应通过适当的控制措施和保持良好的职业卫生习惯将暴露降至最低。
