TY - JOUR
T1 - Application of ultraviolet spectrophotometry to estimate occupational exposure to airborne polyaromatic compounds in asphalt pavers
AU - Buratti, Marina
AU - Campo, Laura
AU - Fustinoni, Silvia
AU - Valla, Carla
AU - Martinotti, Irene
AU - Cirla, Piero E.
AU - Cavallo, Domenico
AU - Foà, Vito
PY - 2007/6
Y1 - 2007/6
N2 - An ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometric procedure was devised for the determination of polycyclic aromatic compound-oriented organic soluble matter in vapors and particulate collected from emissions of hot asphalt mix. Ultrasonic extraction was carried out with acetonitrile, followed by UV measurements at 254 nm. Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in volatile and particulate fraction were quantified as phenanthrene or benzo[k]fluoranthene equivalents. A comparison between UV and high-pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection showed that PACs were one to three orders of magnitude higher than the sum of 15 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); still, significant correlations were found between volatile or particulate PACs and, respectively, total volatile or particulate PAHs. Moreover, in the particulate phase, PACs correlated with total particulate matter quantified by gravimetry. The proposed procedure was employed in a field study for monitoring personal exposure to asphalt emissions of workers engaged in road construction. Observed levels of acetonitrile-soluble PACs in air samples were very low (2-20 μg/m 3); however, asphalt pavers were exposed to significantly higher concentrations of volatile PACs than construction workers (geometric mean, 5.9 μg/m3 vs. 4.1 μg/m3). This method for estimating the global content of volatile or particulate PACs in air samples satisfies our requirements of simplicity and is suitable for conducting an initial screening to assess exposure to airborne polyaromatic organics in asphalt pavers.
AB - An ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometric procedure was devised for the determination of polycyclic aromatic compound-oriented organic soluble matter in vapors and particulate collected from emissions of hot asphalt mix. Ultrasonic extraction was carried out with acetonitrile, followed by UV measurements at 254 nm. Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in volatile and particulate fraction were quantified as phenanthrene or benzo[k]fluoranthene equivalents. A comparison between UV and high-pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection showed that PACs were one to three orders of magnitude higher than the sum of 15 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); still, significant correlations were found between volatile or particulate PACs and, respectively, total volatile or particulate PAHs. Moreover, in the particulate phase, PACs correlated with total particulate matter quantified by gravimetry. The proposed procedure was employed in a field study for monitoring personal exposure to asphalt emissions of workers engaged in road construction. Observed levels of acetonitrile-soluble PACs in air samples were very low (2-20 μg/m 3); however, asphalt pavers were exposed to significantly higher concentrations of volatile PACs than construction workers (geometric mean, 5.9 μg/m3 vs. 4.1 μg/m3). This method for estimating the global content of volatile or particulate PACs in air samples satisfies our requirements of simplicity and is suitable for conducting an initial screening to assess exposure to airborne polyaromatic organics in asphalt pavers.
KW - Asphalt
KW - Bitumen
KW - Occupational exposure
KW - Organic soluble matter
KW - Polycyclic aromatic compounds
KW - UV spectrophotometry
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U2 - 10.1080/15459620701337817
DO - 10.1080/15459620701337817
M3 - Article
C2 - 17474031
AN - SCOPUS:34248529051
VL - 4
SP - 412
EP - 419
JO - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
JF - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
SN - 1545-9624
IS - 6
ER -