Employee Exposure Research Articles

NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to Decommissioning

The accumulation of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) during oil and gas production is a well-known phenomenon in mature markets with established legislation and disposal methods. In Brazil, MTE Regulatory Standard No. 37, issued in 2018, established the first labor regulation addressing NORM as an occupational hazard. Since then, oil companies have focused on managing waste disposal, with particular emphasis on NORM management. As Brazil anticipates an increase in decommissioning and dismantling activities, advancing methods, regulatory limits, and solutions for NORM management is critical. This article presents the specific regulations and the practical experience for radiological protection of workers and proper radioactive waste management within oil and gas installations. Through technical visits, dose rate monitoring, and legislative analysis, the study contextualizes the operational environment of exploration and production units, detailing health risks, waste characteristics, and storage requirements. The article also underscores the sector's complexity, emphasizing the variability in NORM accumulation across different installations and the necessity for targeted protective measures due to the potential exposure of employees during cleaning and inspection activities.

Exposure/Risk Assessment of Employees in Gasoline Refueling Stations with and Without the Efficacy of Vapor Recovery Systems in Mexico.

Concerns regarding the health risks associated with employe exposure to volatile chemicals during gasoline refueling necessitates rigorous investigation and effective countermeasures. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of vapor recovery systems in mitigating exposure risks during gasoline refueling. Employee exposure to volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, carbon monoxide, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was assessed at gasoline stations with and without vapor recovery systems. Three stations each from the State of Mexico and Mexico City, equipped with gasoline vapor recovery systems, were compared with three stations in Guadalajara lacking such systems. The exposure concentrations (mean ± standard deviation) to benzene in Guadalajara, the State of Mexico, and Mexico City were 45 ± 29, 24 ± 20, and 18 ± 15 μg/m3, respectively, which were significantly higher than the background atmospheric concentrations at 1.6 ± 0.56, 0.72 ± 0.083, and 0.65 ± 0.14 μg/m3, respectively. Similarly, the exposure concentrations of toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes at gasoline stations were significantly higher than the background atmospheric concentrations. However, the exposure concentrations of formaldehyde and PM2.5 were similar to the background atmospheric concentrations. The excess cancer risks due to benzene exposure were estimated at 1.2-4.2 × 10-5, 0.63-2.2 × 10-5, and 0.46-1.6 × 10-5 (mean) and 0.42-1.5 × 10-4, 0.29-1.0 × 10-4, and 2.4-8.6 × 10-5 (maximum) in Guadalajara, the State of Mexico, and Mexico City, respectively. The risk to employees in gasoline stations was reduced by 47-61% in service stations with gasoline vapor recovery systems.

Exposure of employees to very high frequencies: laboratory measurements

Many occupational sectors are subject to noise exposure to very high audible frequencies (VHF) or low frequency ultrasound (LFUS): welding, food cutting, cleaning, etc. Although studies on employee exposure to these sound sources have been carried out since the 1960s, the question of the location of the measuring microphone and the representativeness of the measurement remains. As part of a study focusing on the risks associated with exposure to VHF/LFUS, the INRS conducted laboratory experiments on a mannequin to assess the variability of exposure measurements under controlled conditions as a function of microphone location (shoulder, ear entrance, etc.), source frequency and source position in azimuth. Of particular interest was the appropriateness of positioning the microphone at temple level via a dedicated mounting system suitable for use in the field. The findings of this preliminary work will be used to develop a protocol for measuring VHF/LFUS exposure in situ.

STUDYING THE IMPACT OF DUST EXPOSURE AND ASSESSING THE RISK TO EMPLOYEE HEALTH

Purpose. This article is dedicated to the experimental determination of the level of dust pollution during ore crushing and the study of the long-term impact of dust exposure on workers, as well as the assessment of their health risk. Design/methodology/approach. To achieve this goal, we carried out full-scale measurements of dust pollution in real working conditions, performed mathematical modelling to analyse the data and predict the dust load over a certain period, and calculated the conditional risk to employees. Conclusions. As a result of the experiment, it was found that during the operation of the crusher, the concentration of dust in the air significantly exceeds the maximum permissible concentration (2 mg/m3). A mathematical dependence describing the dynamics of changes in the concentration of dust in the air was obtained. The average dust load per worker during a work shift and the average daily dust load, the conditional risk of an inhalation occupational disease in workers, the dust load per worker for different periods of time depending on the use/non-use of a respirator are calculated and it is proved that the use of PPE significantly reduces the impact of dust load on the worker. Limitations/consequences of research. The proposed methods for calculating conditional risk and predicting dust exposure for workers are universal for those professions in which there is significant dust pollution in the workplace. Practical consequences. The results of the study can be used to calculate and assess the dust exposure of employees during different periods of work, which will help to select the optimal personal protective equipment for employees. Originality/meaning. For the first time, an integrated method has been applied, which includes field studies of dust pollution in the workshop of a business entity, namely a mining and processing plant, mathematical modelling with modern applied software tools and, accordingly, a reasonable prediction of the consequences of long-term exposure to dust load, taking into account the conditional risk of respiratory disease.

OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO AMMONIA DURING INDUSTRIAL-SCALE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION COMPOSTING OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE

Biodegradable waste material can be exploited through anaerobic digestion, an oxygen-free multi-stage process often completed by a composting step, which harnesses the power of microorganisms to break down organic matter. This waste-treatment sector is growing rapidly in France as it allows the production of valuable digestates and biogas (biomethane). One of the main occupational health concerns in this sector is exposure to ammonia. The present work focused on ammonia emitted over the course of several stages in the anaerobic digestion and composting process, and assessed employee exposure to this pollutant. Exposure was measured for distinct worker activities and work areas, as well as during the various steps of the process. The results revealed non-negligible ammonia exposure for workers operating in the dehydration (until 55 ppmV in the workplace and 17 ppmV on the worker) and composting (until 45 ppmV in the workplace and 17 ppmV on the loader driver) areas on several sites. A classical monitoring approach was supplemented by the identification of explanatory parameters contributing to exposure: material emissivity, amounts stored or handled, and ventilation systems in use. Based on these elements, recommendations were made on prevention choices, including reducing emissions at source namely by process improvement and management of stored quantities, improving existing preventive systems such as capture at source or general ventilation, and employee education to raise awareness of waste management risks and improve practices.

Examination of Modern Strategies of Instructing Patients for Radiation Protection in the Nuclear Medicine Department

Background: In every nuclear medicine center, there are places where people are exposed to more radiation than in other areas. To reduce the radiation exposure of employees and patients referring to these centers, it is necessary to observe special precautions to reduce the amount of dose received by different people, especially in the case of women of reproductive age. This study aimed to educate patients and companions to reduce the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. Methods: In this study, a questionnaire was used as the measurement tool. It contained demographic information and questions related to the evaluation of the quality of education, the level of awareness of patients and their companions, and also their level of satisfaction with the educational facilities of the center. The sample size included 193 patients who had been referred to the Gamma Scan department of Farshchian hospital. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS 19 software. For validity and reliability, the obtained information was analyzed with the help of mean, frequency, and percentage for qualitative variables. Results: The results of this study showed no significant correlation between knowledge level and gender (P=0.178). However, there was a direct relationship between the two variables of knowledge and level of education which is statistically significant (P=0.001). Conclusion: Measurements and statistical studies showed that in the nuclear medicine department of Farshchian Heart Hospital in Hamedan, the level of awareness of patients regarding radiation protection is weak and needs to be improved.

The mediating effect of hope agency on perceived stress and professional burnout among Polish corporate employees

Job burnout is considered an outcome of prolonged exposure of employees to stress. Although many studies have focused on the presence of a direct association between stress and burnout, we still know very little about mediators that indirectly play a role in this relationship. Previous analyses have determined that self-efficacy acts as a mechanism that explains the overall relationship between stress and burnout. However, there is no such evidence to support the mediatory function of hope. Therefore, the main aim of the current study was to verify whether self-efficacy, hope pathways, and hope agency are mediators in this relationship. The study included 408 Polish-speaking adults who completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Dispositional Hope Scale. The outcomes indicated a positive correlation of stress with the overall burnout score, as well as all subscales. Moreover, hope agency was a mediator, thus suggesting that there is also an indirect relationship between stress and job burnout. Therefore, it can be assumed that higher stress is associated with lower motivation to generate and sustain the actions needed to reach the goals. Consequently, lower hope agency may lead stressed employees to greater exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment.

Валидация методик определения радиохимических примесей в радиофармацевтических препаратах с технецием-99m и локальные дозы облучения персонала

The validation of methods to control radiochemical impurities content in radiopharmaceuticals (RPh) has some features and differs from the established analytical methods for control of radiochemical impurities in drugs free of radionuclides. The article presents the results of the validation procedure for determination of radiochemical impurities content in 99mTс radiopharmaceuticals, such as “Pyrphotech,99mTс”, “Technephyte,99mTс”, “Tehnephore,99mTс”, “Phosphotech,99mTс”, “Rezoscan,99mTс” and “Medroscan,99mTс” at performing the “Specificity” and “Precision” (“Repeatability and “Intermediate precision”) tests. The selectivity of the chromatographic determination of sodium pertechnetate and hydrolyzed reduced technetium-99m has been proven. Coefficients of variation were 5.0% and the relative error of the methods does not exceed 11.5%. The calculated values of the Student's t-test for two samples for each chromatographic system for each radiopharmaceutical in the "Intermediate precision" tests did not exceed the table value of the Student's test, equal to 3.17 at the confidence probability of 99%. This indicates that there are no differences between the results obtained in each chromatographic system and confirms the validation of the methods for precision. It has been shown that performing the listed tests when validation at the minimum volume activity of RPh allowed in regulatory documents (185 MBq/ml) is associated with significant radiation burden on the personnel of the quality control laboratory. The equivalent dose to an employee's eye lens can be up to 6.0 mSv, and to the fingertips – up to 1,310 mSv, which is almost 2.6 times the limit for the established annual dose to the fingertips. Thus, we can conclude that it is impossible to perform all tests in full volume by one employee in compliance with the dose limits established by NRB-99/2009, OSPORB-99/2010. When health care providers perform these tests, the risk of radiation exposure to the employees will increase several times because performing the listed tests when validation at the minimum volume activity of RPh allowed in regulatory documents (185 MBq/ml) is associated with significant radiation burden on the employees of the quality control laboratory. The equivalent dose to an employee's eye lens may be up to 6.0 mSv, and to the fingertips – up to 1,310 mSv, it is almost 2.6 times exceeds the limit for the established annual dose to the fingertips. Thus, we can conclude that it is impossible to perform all tests in full volume by one employee in compliance with the dose limits established by NRB-99/2009, OSPORB-99/2010. When performing these tests in health care providers, the risk of employees exposure to radiation will increase several times because for radiopharmaceuticals preparation the volume activity necessary for diagnostic procedures is used.

BTEX OCCURRENCE IN THE INDOOR AIR OF BEAUTY SALONS – PRELIMINARY RESEARCH

This study aimed to identify and carry out a preliminary assessment of the health exposure ofemployees working in beauty salons to selected compounds from the BTEX group. The selectedsalons were all situated in the Silesian Voivodeship, recognized as one of the most polluted regionin Poland and European hot spot area in terms of air pollution. Measurements encompassed weeklymonitoring of marked BTEX compounds in beauty salons specializing in nail styling, hairdressingand cosmetics. As an internal substrate, measurements were also taken in a children’s hairdressingsalon where no chemical products were used; also a weekly measurement was performed foroutdoor air to look for outdoor background BTEX concentrations.For BTEX determination, Tenax sorbent tubes insertion was employed. The collected samples wereanalysed using a Clarus 500 gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector (FID) connectedto a Perkin Elmer Turbo-Matrix 100 thermal desorber . Toluene concentrations were found to benotably elevated, reaching up to 73.19 μg/m in adult hairdresser salons, representing an orderof magnitude higher than that found in indoor background (children’s hairdresser) and outdoorbackground. Importantly, the concentrations of the measured BTEX compounds remained belowthe acceptable levels defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).Among the individual BTEX compounds, nail treatment salons exhibited the highest meanconcentrations for benzene; m,p-xylene; n-propylbenzene; styrene; isopropylbenzene; and1,3,5-trimethylbenzene. Conversely, cosmetic salons registered the highest mean concentrationof ethylbenzene; o-xylene; and n-propylbenzene. The results indicate a chronic exposure ofsalon employees to the tested compounds, with heightened levels particularly noticeable amongindividuals with extensive professional experience. These findings underscore the importance ofongoing monitoring and occupational health measures in beauty salons, emphasizing the potentialrisks associated with long-term exposure to BTEX compounds.

Occupational Exposure of Employees in a Multispecialty Hospital to Factors Causing Contact Dermatitis-A Questionnaire Study.

Background and Objectives: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a serious health and socio-economic problem. Accurate and reliable assessment of exposure to ACD factors in the work environment would increase quality of life and work of employees. The aim of this study was to assess the level of exposure of workers of a multidisciplinary hospital to the factors causing ACD. Material and Methods: The proprietary OSDES-16 questionnaire was used. The effectiveness of the OSDES-16 was confirmed statistically. The study included 230 employees of the medical center in Polanica Zdrój, divided into groups. Results: The differences in the overall assessment of exposure between the individual groups in the OSDES-16 scale were statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the current workplace and the level of exposure to ACD (p > 0.05). The level of exposure to ACD in the group of employees with work experience in the current position for more than 10 years was significantly higher than those working less than 6 years (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Nurses, midwives and paramedics are the occupational group most exposed to the development of contact allergy related to exposure to factors present in the work environment. The seniority of more than 10 years in the current position was linked with a higher level of occupational exposure.

Assessment the operating room based on environmental factors and monitoring anesthetic gases in southwest of Iran

Background/objectivesOccupational exposure of employees to residual anesthetic gases in the operating room without a proper ventilation system can adversely affect their health. The purpose of this study was to assessment the environmental factors and monitoring the concentration of anesthetic gases in the operating rooms. MethodsTwenty-three operating rooms were examined. Simultaneously with each sampling, the temperature and humidity were measured with a moisture meter, a psychrometer, IR thermometer (Triplett MS475). The data was then analyzed using the Mann-Whitney and Pearson correlation tests. ResultsThe findings showed that the average concentration of isoflurane (P-value = 0.036) and sevoflurane (P-value = 0.049) were significantly higher in hospitals without ventilation system. Also, result of this study showed that the average level of isoflurane and sevoflurane (P-value = 0.315 and P-value = 0.120), there was no significant relationship in hospitals without cooler than hospitals with cooler system.Based on result this study, there was not found significant relationship between isoflurane and humidity (P-value = 0.586), isoflurane and temperature (P-value = 0.890), sevoflurane and humidity (P-value = 0.692), and sevoflurane and temperature (P-value = 0.199). ConclusionAccording to the results, the most important ways to reduce adverse health effects and reduce occupational exposure levels among employees and patients including the use of modern equipment, improvement of the operating room ventilation system, the use of a cleaning system closes to the exit pipe of the anesthesia machine, employee training, control of environmental factors (temperature and humidity), and frequent monitoring of anesthetic gases.

Exposure of students (pupils) and employees of educational institutions in the Leningrad region to natural sources of radiation Part 2: Hygienic assessment of doses and health risks depending on methods and approaches to measuring indoor radon concentration

Exposure of students (pupils) and employees of educational institutions in the Leningrad region to natural sources of radiation Part 2: Hygienic assessment of doses and health risks depending on methods and approaches to measuring indoor radon concentration

Accounts and counter-accounts: accounting and accountability for asbestos-related liabilities

PurposeThis study aims to investigate disclosure of asbestos-related liabilities in corporate accounts and counter-accounts to examine whether and how accounting contributes to corporate accountability for asbestos-contaminated products.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the Goffmanesque perspective on impression management to examine instances of concealed asbestos-related liabilities in corporate accounts vis-à-vis the revealing of such liabilities in counter-accounts.FindingsThe findings show counter-accounts provide significant information on liabilities originating from the exposure of employees and consumers to asbestos. By contrast, the malleability of accounting tools enables companies to eschew accounting disclosures. While the frontstage positive performance of companies served an impression management role, their backstage concealing actions enabled companies to cover up asbestos-related liabilities. These companies used three categories of mechanisms to avoid disclosure of asbestos-related liabilities: concealing via a “cloak of competence”, impression management via epistemic work and a silent strategy of concealment frontstage with strategic reorganisation backstage.Practical implicationsThis study has policy relevance as regulators need to consider the limits of corporate disclosures as an accountability tool. The findings may also initiate academic and practitioner conversations about accounting standards for long-term liabilities.Originality/valueThis study highlights the strategies companies use both frontstage and backstage to avoid disclosing asbestos-related liabilities. Through analysis of accounts and counter-accounts, this study identifies the limits of accounting as an accountability tool regarding asbestos-induced diseases and deaths.

Assessment of lead exposure in indoor shooters in central Poland

A steady increase in shooting practices is observed worldwide. Potential lead exposure at shooting ranges poses a risk to their employees and users, which is not widely reported outside of the USA, especially in Poland. Exposure to lead results from the use of bullets containing lead and the main route of exposure to this metal at shooting ranges is inhalation, i.e., during shooting or cleaning. The aim of this study was to assess lead exposure of employees and users in selected indoor shooting ranges in central Poland. Airborne lead concentrations at all locations in the shooting ranges were above Polish occupational exposure limit (OEL, 0.05 mg m−3). Elevated blood and urine lead levels, and decreased 4-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity (ALA-D) were found in subjects participating in shooting even for only a few (< 10) hours per week. Lead exposure at shooting ranges in central Poland, as indicated by elevated blood lead levels and decreased ALA-D activity, could represent an elevated risk for adverse health effects. Thus, information on the possible health consequences of lead exposure should be provided at these sites, and biomonitoring appears to be reasonable for regular workers and shooters.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HUMAN CAPITAL MEASUREMENT AND DISCLOSURE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT FOR THE ZIMBABWEAN MINING COMPANIES

Purpose: The aim of this study is to develop a research instrument to measure and disclose human capital value in the financial statements. The study has been motivated by a lack of guidelines that determine key aspects of human capital despite its contribution to value creation and financial performance. Methodology: This study adopted a post-positivist research philosophy which endorses a quantitative research approach. Quantitative data were collected using the survey questionnaire instrument from the six listed mining companies in Zimbabwe. A convenience sampling technique was utilised and a human capital measurement and disclosure instrument was validated using the exploratory factor analysis. Findings: The paper established eight factors namely; human capital measurements, profitability measures, employee competencies, value drivers, performance-related factors, market-related factors, employee exposures and structure-related factors. The developed questionnaire instrument can be of use to other scholars and policymakers if their studies are aiming to investigate the respondents’ perceptions towards human capital reporting. This will also, provide a basis for the development of a standardised universal approach to measuring human capital value. JEL Classification: J24, D19 Article history: Received: May 5, 2023; Reviewed: June 7, 2023; Accepted: June 15, 2023; Available online: July 31, 2023; Available print: August 30, 2023.

Exposure of students (pupils) and employees of educational institutions in the Leningrad region to natural sources of radiation. Part 1: Results of a comprehensive survey

Currently, there is no methodological support for radiation monitoring and sanitary and epidemiological assessment of radon concentration (or radon EEC) and other parameters of the radiation situation in existing operated buildings. The paper presents a review of the protocols for conducting measurements of indoor Leningrad region with previously found elevated levels of radon concentration using long-term measurements. The survey revealed that highest values of indoor radon ECC were obtained using instant measurements in several educational institutions both in the normal operation mode of the buildings (up to 1106 Bq/m3) and after leaving the premises for 12 hours with closed windows and doors (up to 1586 Bq/m3) according to the requirements of paragraph 6.5 of MU 2.6.1.2838-11. High values of radon concentration were also obtained using long-term and short-term measurements (up to 4900 and 1420 Bq/m3, respectively). In addition, high values of radon flux density were detected (up to 2030 mBq/(m2·s)). The established hygienic norms for ambient dose equivalent rate indoors and outdoors were not exceeded in the surveyed educational institutions. The levels of gross alphaand beta activities in tap water sampled from the surveyed educational institutions were below the control levels, and an exceedance of intervention level for activity concentration of radon in analyzed samples was not detected. The results of the survey will be used for hygienic assessment of doses and health risks for students (pupils) and employees of several educational institutions of the Leningrad region due to exposure to radon and its progeny and can be used to improve the method for indoor radon concentration monitoring in existing operated public buildings in the Russian Federation, which in turn will make it possible to obtain correct values of public doses and health risks.

THE IMPACT OF STRESS ON PRODUCTIVITY – EVIDENCE FROM THE ACADEMIC STAFF OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OYE-EKITI, NIGERIA

Stress is part of the inevitable stimuli to productivity, efficiency and effectiveness showcased by employees in organisations. It is a universal phenomenon and part of the prices to pay for effective productivity in establishments. This is essentially because without going through stress, it will be difficult to have any meaningful input expected of workers as well as the attainments of the aims, objectives and goals of an organisation. However, exposure of employees to a high level of stress ironically jeopardises the chances of their optimal productivity; hence, loss to the organisation. University Lecturers are part of the employees that are mostly affected by excessive stress. Thus, this paper critically examined the impact of stress on productivity among the academic staff of Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria. Examined in this paper are the definitions of the basic concepts, factors responsible for excessive stress among university Lecturers and the impact of such on their productivity. Out of 200 questionnaire distributed, the researchers were able to retrieved 52 from the respondents which were used for the analysis of the study. The statistical analysis of this project work and plots were all carried out using python3 package. All the data analysis, data manipulation and static and interactive visualizations were done using different open source libraries in python which include numpy, pandas, matplotlib, seaborn, sklearn, graphviz, dtreeviz, plotly, cufflinks, statsmodels and scipy. The findings revealed that work overload, excessive pressures, overcrowded classes, meeting deadlines, administrative duties, students’ unrest, cultism, lack of motivation, accommodation challenges and lack of conducive environment have been associated with the factors that are responsible for the exposure of lecturers to excessive stress which invariably have negative impact on their productivity. Thus, vital recommendations are made on better means by which the university Lecturers can better manage stress.

Technostress and work-family conflict in ICT-user employees during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of social support and mindfulness

ABSTRACT The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of digital transformation in organisations and has considerably increased the exposure to and dependence of employees on Information and Communication Technologies, which may lead them to experience a negative psychological state known as technostress. This work analyses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing technological exposure of employees to emotional exhaustion and work-family conflict. It also analyses the role that social support and mindfulness play as mechanisms that inhibit technostress in a context of health emergency. For this purpose, the authors develop and test a structural equation model on a sample of 1037 employees of the banking industry in Spain. The results show that the techno-stressors increase emotional exhaustion and the work-family conflict. We also observe that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a positive impact on the perception of techno-stressors and on emotional exhaustion. In addition, the results show that social support and mindfulness play a crucial role in diminishing technostress, as they reduce the perceived COVID-19 impact, techno-stressors and emotional exhaustion. Consequently, this work presents very relevant implications for organisations, identifying strategies that allow to reduce technostress and work-family conflict.

Death anxiety and extra-role performance in military and non-military employees: A predictive study

Death awareness in the military context has received little research attention despite the high exposure of military employees to death. Drawing on Terror Management Theory (TMT), Meaning Management Theory (MMT), and Conservation of Resources Theory (COR), this study investigated the impact of death anxiety on organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) through meaningful work (MW). It also investigated the moderating role of type of profession (military vs. non-military) and death reflection on the relationship between death anxiety, on one hand, and OCB and CWB, on the other hand. Data were collected through self-reports from 177 employees from an Air Force military organization (N = 81) as well as non-military professions (N = 96) using a time-lagged research design. The most obvious finding was the positive relationship between meaningful work and OCB. Our data did not provide empirical support for the other hypotheses developed. The implications of these findings are presented and future research directions are proposed.

The impact of operational factors on degradation of formaldehyde as a human carcinogen using Ag3 PO4 /TiO2 photocatalyst.

Background: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) identified formaldehyde as a carcinogen in 2004, yet formaldehyde is widely used in health care settings and various industries. In recent years, photocatalytic oxidation has been developed as a potential technique for removing pollutants arising from organic chemical agents and consequently promoting the health indices. This study investigated the effect of operational factors in optimizing formaldehyde removal from the air using Ag3 PO4 /TiO2 photocatalyst. Methods: An experimental study was designed to investigate the effect of operational factors on the efficiency of formaldehyde degradation. The variables investigated in this study include pollutant retention time, initial pollutant concentration and relative humidity. Sol-gel method was used to synthesize the nano-composite photocatalyst. An ideal experimental design was carried out based on Box-Behnken design (BBD) with response surface methodology (RSM). The sample size in this study includes all the glasses coated with Ag3 PO4 /TiO2 photocatalyst. Results: The maximum formaldehyde degradation of 32% was obtained at the initial concentration of 2 ppm, 20% relative humidity, and 90 minutes of retention time. Based on the statistical results, the correlation coefficient of the present study for the impact of operational factors on formaldehyde degradation was 0.9635, which means that there is only 3.65% probability of error in the model. Conclusion: The operational factors examined in this study (retention time, relative humidity, and initial formaldehyde concentration) were significantly influential in the degradation efficiency of formaldehyde by the photocatalyst. Due to the high exposure of employees and clients of health and treatment centers to formaldehyde as a carcinogenic substance, the results of this study can be used in ventilation systems to remove environmental pollutants in health care centers and other occupational settings.