Assessment of occupational exposure to gaseous peracetic acid

• Authors: Stefano Dugheri , Alessandro Bonari , Ilenia Pompilio , Marco Colpo , Manfredi Montalti , Nicola Mucci , Giulio Arcangeli

Abstracts

EN

Objectives: In order to assess short-term exposure to peracetic acid (PAA) in disinfection processes, the Authors compared 4 industrial hygiene monitoring methods to evaluate their proficiency in measuring airborne PAA concentrations. Material and Methods: An active sampling by basic silica gel impregnated with methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide (MTSO), a passive solid phase micro-extraction technique using methyl p-tolyl sulfide (MTS) as on-fiber derivatization reagent, an electrochemical direct-reading PAA monitor, and a novel visual test strip PAA detector doped with 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonate were evaluated and tested over the range of 0.06–16 mg/m3, using dynamically generated PAA air concentrations. Results: The linear regression analysis of linearity and accuracy showed that the 4 methods were suitable for PAA monitoring. Peracetic acid monitoring in several use applications showed that the PAA concentration (1.8 mg/m3) was immediately dangerous to life or health as proposed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, and was frequently exceeded in wastewater treatment (up to 7.33 mg/m3), and sometimes during food and beverage processes and hospital high-level disinfection operations (up to 6.8 mg/m3). Conclusions: The methods were suitable for the quick assessment of acute exposure in PAA environmental monitoring and can assist in improving safety and air quality in the workplace where this disinfectant is used. These monitoring methods allowed the evaluation of changes to work out practices to reduce PAA vapor concentrations during the operations when workers are potentially overexposed to this strong antioxidant agent. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(4):527–535

Keywords

EN

chromatography; electrochemical sensors; peracetic acid; air monitoring; short-term exposure; visual test strip PAA detector

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2018
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 527-535

Dates

published

2018

Contributors

author

Stefano Dugheri

• Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy (Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology Laboratory)

author

Alessandro Bonari

• University of Florence, Florence, Italy (Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine)

author

Ilenia Pompilio

• University of Florence, Florence, Italy (Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine)

author

Marco Colpo

• University of Florence, Florence, Italy (Department of Statistics, Informatics and Applications)

author

Manfredi Montalti

• University of Florence, Florence, Italy (Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine)

author

Nicola Mucci

• University of Florence, Florence, Italy (Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine)

author

Giulio Arcangeli

• University of Florence, Florence, Italy (Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine)

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01166

Biblioteka Nauki

2160025