Occupational risk assessment during explosion severity tests of carbon black and MWCNT in a laboratory

Abstract

Risk assessment has been conducted by quantitative and qualitative methods during explosion severity tests in a 20 L sphere for carbon black (N990) and MWCNT (NC7000™). The qualitative risk assessment was performed by control banding with CB Nanotool and StoffenManager Nano. The methodology for the quantitative assessment was based on general recommendations for exposure measurement assessment and an easy-to-use operational sampling approach. The results enabled to highlight a few sources of nanomaterials emission during the tests. It led also to the finding that the dynamic barrier provided by the local exhaust ventilation system can be temporarily weakened due to overpressure events. Based on the comparison of the measurements with the risk assessment results, the relevance of the selected control banding tools was assessed.