The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark.
Ann Work Expo Health. 2024 Sep 27;68(8):791-803. doi: 10.1093/annweh/wxae062.
Diesel engine exhaust (DEE) is carcinogenic and potentially hazardous for those working in close proximity to diesel-powered machines. This study characterizes workplace exposure to DEE and its associated particulate matter (PM) during outdoor construction activities. We sampled at 4 construction sites in the Copenhagen metropolitan area. We used portable constant-flow pumps and quartz-fiber filters to quantify personal exposure to elemental carbon (EC), and used real-time instruments to collect activity-based information about particle number and size distribution, as well as black carbon (BC) concentration. Full-shift measurements of EC concentration ranged from < 0.3 to 6.4 µg/m3. Geometric mean (GM) EC exposure was highest for ground workers (3.4 µg/m3 EC; geometric standard deviation, GSD = 1.3), followed by drilling rig operators (2.6 µg/m3 EC; GSD = 1.4). Exposure for non-drilling-rig machine operators (1.2 µg/m3 EC; GSD = 2.9) did not differ significantly from background (0.9 µg/m3 EC; GSD = 1.7). The maximum 15-min moving average concentration of BC was 17 µg/m3, and the highest recorded peak concentration was 44 µg/m3. In numbers, the particle size distributions were dominated by ultrafine particles ascribed to DEE and occasional welding activities at the sites. The average total particle number concentrations (PNCs) measured in near-field and far-field positions across all worksites were 10,600 (GSD = 3.0) and 6,000 (GSD = 2.8)/cm3, respectively. Sites with active drilling rigs saw significantly higher average total PNCs at their near-field stations (13,600, 32,000, and 9,700/cm3; GSD = 2.4, 3.4, and 2.4) than sites without (4,700/cm3; GSD = 1.6). Overall, the DEE exposures at these outdoor construction sites were below current occupational exposure limits for EC (10 µg/m3 in Denmark; 50 µg/m3 in the European Union), but extended durations of exposure to the observed DEE levels may still be a health risk.
柴油机废气（DEE）对近距离接触柴油机的人员具有致癌性和潜在危害性。本研究对户外建筑活动期间 DEE 及其相关颗粒物（PM）的工作场所暴露情况进行了描述。我们在哥本哈根大都市区的 4 个建筑工地进行了采样。我们使用便携式恒流泵和石英纤维过滤器来量化个人对元素碳（EC）的暴露情况，并使用实时仪器收集关于颗粒数量和尺寸分布以及黑碳（BC）浓度的基于活动的信息。EC 浓度的全班测量范围为 <0.3 至 6.4 µg/m3。地面作业人员的 EC 暴露几何平均值（GM）最高（3.4 µg/m3 EC；几何标准差，GSD = 1.3），其次是钻机操作人员（2.6 µg/m3 EC；GSD = 1.4）。非钻机机器操作人员（1.2 µg/m3 EC；GSD = 2.9）的暴露量与背景（0.9 µg/m3 EC；GSD = 1.7）没有显著差异。15 分钟移动平均浓度最高的 BC 为 17 µg/m3，记录到的最高峰值浓度为 44 µg/m3。在数量上，粒径分布主要由柴油机产生的超细颗粒和现场偶尔的焊接活动决定。在所有工地的近场和远场位置测量的平均总颗粒数浓度（PNC）分别为 10600（GSD = 3.0）和 6000（GSD = 2.8）/cm3。有钻机作业的工地，其近场站的平均总 PNC 明显较高（分别为 13600、32000 和 9700/cm3；GSD = 2.4、3.4 和 2.4），而无钻机作业的工地则较低（4700/cm3；GSD = 1.6）。总体而言，这些户外建筑工地的 DEE 暴露水平低于 EC 的当前职业暴露限值（丹麦为 10 µg/m3；欧盟为 50 µg/m3），但长期接触观察到的 DEE 水平仍可能对健康造成风险。
