유기합성실험실 연구자의 단위작업별 노출 평가Task-based Exposure Assessment among Laboratory workers in Organic Synthesis Laboratories
- Other Titles
- Task-based Exposure Assessment among Laboratory workers in Organic Synthesis Laboratories
- Authors
- 최영은; 추연희; 이익모; 박정임
- Issue Date
- 2019
- Publisher
- 한국산업보건학회
- Keywords
- exposure assessment; laboratory workers; organic solvents; task-based; TWA
- Citation
- 한국산업보건학회지, v.29, no.1, pp.1 - 12
- Journal Title
- 한국산업보건학회지
- Volume
- 29
- Number
- 1
- Start Page
- 1
- End Page
- 12
- URI
- https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/sch/handle/2021.sw.sch/5220
- DOI
- 10.15269/JKSOEH.2019.29.1.1
- ISSN
- 2384-132x
- Abstract
- Objective: Significant concerns have been raised over chemical exposure and potential health risks such as increased cancer mortality among laboratory workers. The aim of this study was to investigate the overall exposure and unit task exposure levels of researchers in organic synthesis laboratories at universities.
Methods: Seventy-seven personal Time-weighted average(TWA) samples and 139 task-based samples from four organic synthesis laboratories at two universities were collected over three days. The concentrations of acetone, chloroform, dichloromethane(DCM), diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, n-hexane, tetrahydrofuran(THF), benzene, toluene, and xylene were determined using the GC-FID.
Results: The most frequently used chemicals in the laboratories were acetone, DCM, n-hexane, methanol, and THF. Carcinogens such as benzene, chloroform, and DCM were used in one or more laboratories. The TWA full-shift exposures of researchers to acetone was the highest(ND-59.3 ppm). Benzene was observed above the occupational exposure limit in 18-40% of the samples. The levels of exposure to organic solvents were statistically different by task(p<0.05), while washing task was the highest. Washing was not perceived as a part of the real lab tasks. Rather it was considered as simple dish-washing or experimental preparation and performed in an open sink where exposure to organic solvents was unavoidable. TWAs and task-based concentrations were compared by substance, which suggests that TWA-based assessment could not reflect short-term and high concentration exposures.
Conclusions: Laboratory workers may be exposed to various organic solvents at levels of concern. TWA-based measurement alone cannot guarantee holistic exposure assessment among lab workers as their exposures are very dependent on their tasks. Further investigation and characterization for specific tasks and overall chronic exposures will help protect lab workers from unnecessary exposure to chemicals while they perform research.
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