NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Particle size distribution of automobile paint sprays.

Brosseau LM; Fang CP; Snyder C; Cohen BS

Appl Occup Environ Hyg 1992 Sep; 7(9):607-612

https://doi.org/10.1080/1047322X.1992.10388052

00210447

A study of particle size distributions in automobile paint spray aerosols was conducted. Aerosol samples were collected from workers and test stands during base coat and clear coat automobile body spray painting operations using six and four stage personal impactors. The particle size distributions were calculated from the impactor data using a computerized procedure. Additional impactor samples were analyzed for xylene (1330207), a marker for solvent contained in the deposited particles. Test stand and personal sampling for xylene vapor were also performed using plain or charcoal sorbent tubes fitted with fiber glass prefilters (F-CSTs) or diffusion monitors. The geometric mean aerodynamic diameters of aerosols collected during the base coat operations ranged from 20 to 40 microns. The standard deviations varied from 2 to 3 microns. Determinations of particle size distribution during the clear coat operations were generally unsuccessful due to difficulties in obtaining enough mass on the impactor substrates. Xylene was not detected in any of the impactor substrates. Mean xylene vapor concentrations measured by the diffusion monitors, plain sorbent tubes, and the F-CSTs were 12.3, 12.8, and 15.0 milligrams per cubic meter, respectively. The authors conclude that aerosols generated by automobile manual spray painting operations are large and polydisperse. Although no solvent was found on the impactor substrates, any solvent on inhaled or deposited paint droplets will probably be absorbed by the respiratory tissues. Because of the large sizes of the spray droplets, most of the penetrating droplets will probably be deposited in the nasal passages and upper airways. The authors state that to properly assess exposure, both the particle and vapor components of a paint spray aerosol should be measured. F-CSTs are recommended for monitoring solvent vapor exposures.

NIOSH-Publication; NIOSH-Grant; Training; Aerosol-particles; Industrial-hygiene; Paint-spraying; Automotive-industry; Organic-solvents; Aromatic-hydrocarbons; Occupational-exposure

Community Medicine MT Sinai School of Medicine Fifth Avenue and 100Th Street New York, N Y 10029

AOEHE9

1330-20-7

19920901

Journal Article

8639931.00

Grant

1992

Grant-Number-T15-OH-07125

9

1047-322X

Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

NY

Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York