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J Environ Monit

Title:		Occupational exposure to fluorinated hydrocarbons during refrigeration repair work
Author(s):		Gjolstad M; Ellingsen DG; Espeland O; Nordby KC; Evenseth H; Thorud S; Skaugset NP; Thomassen Y;
Address:		"National Institute of Occupational Health, PO Box 8149 Dep., N-0033 Oslo, Norway. Merete.Gjolstad@stami.no"
Journal Title:		J Environ Monit
Year:		2003
Volume:		5
Issue:		2
Page Number:		236 - 240
DOI:		10.1039/b212612e
ISSN/ISBN:		1464-0325 (Print) 1464-0325 (Linking)
Abstract:		"This study describes refrigeration repair workers' occupational exposures to halogenated refrigerants, focusing on difluorochloromethane (HCFC 22), tetrafluoroethane (HFC 134a) and a mixture of tri-, tetra- and pentafluoroethane (R404A) in 30 work operations. Unlike earlier reported studies, the present study includes working procedures involving welding in order to measure possible occupational exposure to decomposition products. The measurements included hydrogen fluoride (HF), hydrogen chloride (HCl), phosgene (COCl2) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). The exposures were assessed during work operations on small-scale cooling installations like refrigerators and freezers. The repair workers' occupational exposures to refrigerants were moderate, and the major part of the exposures were associated with specific working procedures lasting for relatively short periods of time (<20 min). During these exposure events the concentrations were occasionally high (up to 42434 mg m(-3)). Although welding operations lasted only for short periods of time, HF was detected in 9 out of 15 samples when HCFC 22, HFC 134a or R404A had been used. Hydrogen chloride was detected in 3 out of 5 samples in air polluted with HCFC 22. Phosgene was not detected. A large number of VOCs in various concentrations were found during welding. Except for the applied refrigerants, halogenated compounds were only found in one sample"
Keywords:		"Adult Air Pollution, Indoor/*analysis Humans Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated/adverse effects/*analysis Male Middle Aged *Occupational Exposure *Refrigeration;"
Notes:		"MedlineGjolstad, Merete Ellingsen, Dag G Espeland, Oscar Nordby, Karl-Christian Evenseth, Harald Thorud, Syvert Skaugset, Nils Petter Thomassen, Yngvar eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2003/05/06 J Environ Monit. 2003 Apr; 5(2):236-40. doi: 10.1039/b212612e"