Health Risk Assessment and Analysis on the Volatile Organic Compounds in Some Workplace

Lee, Hyo Min; Kim, Myung Soo; Choi, Shin Ai; Yoo, Eun Kyung; Park, Jong Sei

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the health risk on the volatile organic compounds such as toluene, xylene, and styrene in painting workplace. It was monitored through personal air sampling during working time in selected 5 workplaces and analysed using gas chromatography. For the settlement of exposure situation, there were regarded working conditions such as working hours, yearly working days, and working years. Also, Monte-Carlo simulation was used for the induction of hazard index using toxicity value from IRIS(Integrated risk information system) database. The results of risk assessment were summarized as follows : 1. The air concentration of toluene was 7.096+/-15.6 ppm, 2.586+/-4.2 ppm for xylene, 1.914+/-5.3 ppm for styrene in blast painting workplaces. The level of toluene was different significantly compared with the level of xylene and styrene. 2. Computated chronic daily intake value of 95th percentile on toluene, xylene and styrene treated by Monte-Carlo simulation were 9.616, 3.567, 2.782 mg/kg/day, respectively. 3. Computated hazard index value of 75th percentile on toluene, xylene and styrene treated by Monte-Carlo simulation were 3.5, 1.0 and 1.6, respectively. Adverse health effects on the toluene, xylene and styrene would be expected by working exposure in blast painting workplace since the hazard indices of three compounds were exceeded 1 in the surroundings of percenitile 75 through having the low emerged frequency