Evaluation of environmental dust of different chemical nature into six productive sectors

Abstract

Introduction: Pollution with dust has some many chemical substances in aerosol states which bring an unspecific irritant effect on trachea bronchial tree of exposed people, especially on those who suffer of obstructive pulmonary disease already exist or those that have smoke habit. Objective: To assess he occupational environment into different industrial sectors in order to give the necessary base dates for taking measures of control toward decrease of exposure risks. Material and method: An analytical and transversal court study was realized into 6 different industrial sectors in order to evaluate the dust concentration of different chemical nature at the workplaces. 56 workplaces were studied where there were taken 84 stationary and personal samples, 56 among them were as total dust and 28 were as respiratory fraction. All the samples were taking in normal operating conditions, including the 75% of working day. The gravimetric method was utilized for determining of the concentrations. Results: 39.3% of workplaces from productive units studied, except the productive unit n° 5, presented levels of dust concentration of 1 to 9 times up to permissible limit, in this same way 66.6% of the productive entities presented levels of average concentrations of dust 1 to 3 times up permissible limits. Conclusions: The qualitative assessment in those workplaces which presented concentrations up permissible limit are inside high risk zone and those which concentrations are below of permissible limits are inside moderate risk zone, this is alert that mean that should be surveillance permanently