Abstract
The aim of this study is to develop methodologies suitable for conducting multiple organic solvent exposure assessments for workers in plastic material printing industries. By reviewing the existing sampling and analytical methods for the seven organic solvents used in the industry (including isopropyl alcohol, 2-butanone, ethyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, toluene, n-butyl acetate, and cyclohexanone), the coconut shell charcoal is suggested as the sorbent media for collecting samples and GC/FID is chosen as the instrument for chemical analyses. Both CS2 + 5% (v/v) 1-butanol and CS2 + 5% (v/v) isobutanol are proposed as candidate desorption reagents. Since the recovery rates obtained from the latter (83.47%–99.84%) were higher than those of the former (80.12%–98.00%), the latter was chosen in the present study. The linearity of all resultant calibration curves were found with r2 ≥ 0.995, recovery rates (R) ≥ 75%, and corresponding coefficient of variations (CV) ≤ 7% for all target organic solvents. Results also suggest that collected samples should be stored at the –10°C environment and be analyzed within 30 days. Finally, suggestions are made for amending the storage temperatures and storage days currently promulgated in related NIOSH methods based on data obtained from present study. The proposed methodology would be beneficial to the plastic material printing industry for simultaneously assessing workers’ exposures to multiple organic solvents.
Highlights
According to 2012 statistics, the global revenue for the printing industry was ~422 billion US dollar (IBISWorld 2012)
By reviewing the existing sampling and analytical methods for the seven organic solvents used in the industry, coconut shell charcoal is suggested as an appropriate sorbent media for collecting samples, and gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/flame ionization detector (FID)) is chosen as the instrument for chemical analyses
Both chromatographs show good separation among various compounds suggesting that both desorption reagents would not interfere with subsequent chemical analyses
Summary
According to 2012 statistics, the global revenue for the printing industry was ~422 billion US dollar (IBISWorld 2012). Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 13: 1504–1511, 2013 above results clearly indicate that the importance on conducting multiple organic solvent samplings for assessing the exposures of printing industry workers. Based on the above information, it can be expected that conducting multiple organic solvent exposure assessments would be both labor and cost intensive considering the number of sorbent tubes should be used during sampling periods, the differences in the environmental temperatures and storage time for sample stability after samplings, the intrinsic differences in desorption reagents for sample desorption, and the use of different columns in GC/FID analyses
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