Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, University of Perugia, Via Duranti 93, Perugia, Italy.
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, University of Siena, Via Laterina 8, Siena, Italy.
J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2014 Jan-Feb;24(1):42-50. doi: 10.1038/jes.2013.3. Epub 2013 Feb 6.
Aerosol dust samples and quartz raw materials from different working stations in foundry plants were characterized in order to assess the health risk in this working environment. Samples were analysed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy coupled with image analysis and microanalysis, and by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. In addition, the concentration and the solubility degree of Fe and other metals of potential health effect (Mn, Zn and Pb) in the bulk samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Overall, the results indicate substantial changes in quartz crystal structure and texture when passing from the raw material to the airborne dust, which include lattice defects, non-bridging oxygen hole centres and contamination of quartz grains by metal and/or graphite particles. All these aspects point towards the relevance of surface properties on reactivity. Exposure doses have been estimated based on surface area, and compared with threshold levels resulting from toxicology. The possible synergistic effects of concomitant exposure to inhalable magnetite, quartz and/or graphite particles in the same working environment have been properly remarked.
为评估铸造厂不同工作场所的健康风险，对气溶胶粉尘样品和石英原料进行了特征描述。采用扫描和透射电子显微镜结合图像分析和微分析以及阴极发光光谱法对样品进行了分析。此外，还通过电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法（ICP-AES）测定了批量样品中 Fe 及其他潜在健康影响金属（Mn、Zn 和 Pb）的浓度和溶解度。总体而言，结果表明，从原材料到空气中的粉尘，石英晶体结构和质地发生了实质性变化，包括晶格缺陷、非桥氧空穴中心以及金属和/或石墨颗粒对石英颗粒的污染。所有这些方面都表明表面性质对反应性的重要性。根据表面积估算了暴露剂量，并与毒理学得出的阈值水平进行了比较。适当注意到在同一工作环境中同时接触可吸入磁铁矿、石英和/或石墨颗粒的协同效应。
