Evaluation of the Simplified Method for the Assessment of Exposure to Organic Solvents in Paint and Thinner Industries

In chemical industries, workers are exposed to a multitude of chemicals in the working environment. Evaluation of exposure to all these chemicals may be of high cost and time-consuming. In order to reduce these costs and develop an efficient air sampling strategy, the simplified chemical risk evaluation method might be a useful tool to determine the pollutant that should be given the priority for the assessment of exposure levels. The simplified chemical risk evaluation method is based on the classification of the chemicals used in the factory in accordance with the quantity used, the frequency of use, and the health hazards. The method was applied in a paint and thinner industry and evaluated through the analysis of personal air samples taken in the different workstations. Workers were equipped with a 3M-3500 dosimeter during the whole work shift. The samples were thereafter desorbed using carbon disulfide and the pollutants identified by GC-MSD and quantified by GC-FID. The results from the simplified method indicated that toluene has to be monitored in priority in the studied enterprise, which was confirmed by the analysis of air samples. The simplified method of assessment seems to be a useful tool for the development of an efficient air sampling strategy.