Characterization of inhalable, thoracic, and respirable fractions and ultrafine particle exposure during grinding, brazing, and welding activities in a mechanical engineering factory

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the emission sources of fine and ultrafine particles (UFPs) during brazing, welding, and grinding in a mechanical engineering factory and to characterize UFP exposure by measuring size distributions, number, and surface area concentrations. METHODS: Samplings lasted 4 hours and were conducted during 5 days using the Grimm 1.109 portable aerosol spectrometer, the Grimm portable NanoCheck™ 1.320, the electrical low pressure impactor, and the nanoparticle aerosol monitor AeroTrak™ 9000. RESULTS: Higher concentrations of fine particles were observed in welding and grinding activities. The highest values of UFP number and alveolar surface area concentrations were detected in the welding booth. CONCLUSIONS: Potential emission sources of fine particles and UFPs can be identified by the multifaceted approach outlined in this study. This sampling strategy provides important data on key UFP metrics.