CONCENTRATION AND SIZE OF AIRBORNE PARTICLES IN MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTS

Teixeira, Renilson Luiz; Rezende, Raphael Nogueira; Silva, José Reinaldo Moreira da; Paula, Luana Elís de Ramos e

doi:10.1590/1806-90882018000100008

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Articles • Rev. Árvore 42 (1) • 2018 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-90882018000100008 copy

CONCENTRATION AND SIZE OF AIRBORNE PARTICLES IN MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTS

CONCENTRAÇÃO E DIMENSÕES DE PARTICULADOS SUSPENSOS NO AR DE AMBIENTES FABRIS

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

In furniture factories, the cutting of medium density fiberboard (MDF) generates high concentrations of particulates suspended in the air, which, depending on their dimensions, can reach the sensitive areas of the respiratory tract of workers. The aim of this study was to test a method to measure particle sizes derived from the cutting of wood paneling. The experiment was conducted in two small furniture factories located in the municipality of Lavras, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. During the cutting of MDF, airborne particles were collected and measured by means of optical microscopy. The data obtained showed a critical condition in the work environments, with high concentrations of small particles (<10 microns), which could be lodged in the workers’ lungs. The particle measuring process proved to be accurate and easy to perform. In addition, it is worth noting the importance of investment in personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hoods and/ or PFF2 dust masks for the protection of workers.

Keywords:
Work Safety; Occupational Hygiene; Furniture Factories

Table 1 Minimum, mean and maximum values, standard deviation of the mean, and coefficient of variation of the dust particles suspended in the air at factory 1, with and without exhaustion system.

Parameters	Dimensions of dust particles (ìm)
	Samples withexhaustion			Samples without exhaustion
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Concentration(mg.m^-3)	15.24	33.95	43.65	48.90	40.65	66.69	68.59
Minimum	12.60	1.74	6.79	5.43	1.83	4.86	3.88
Mean	54.97	17.33	36.51	41.12	14.20	37.41	34.15
Maximum	237.31	187.38	137.78	195.94	64.50	158.52	160.86
Standard deviation of	45.69	27.96	21.47	37.06	12.92	29.08	24.96
the mean (μm)
Coefficient of	120	62	170	111	110	129	137
variation (%)

Table 2 Minimum, mean and maximum values, standard deviation of the mean, and coefficient of variation of the dust particles suspended in the air at factory 2 with exhaustion system.

Parameters	Dimensions of dust particles (ìm)
	Samples with exhaustion
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Concentration	0.00	1.72	1.77	1.77	2.66	3.55	8.87
(mg.m^-3)
Minimum	1.84	3.76	2.05	3.49	2.33	4.68	2.68
Mean	12.13	17.46	12.12	11.46	20.60	18.28	17.07
Maximum	38.52	49.65	62.36	28.40	40.77	70.78	49.25
Standard deviation	9.63	10.62	11.83	7.01	9.90	11.96	11.20
of the mean (ìm)
Coefficient of	126	164	102	163	208	153	152
variation (%)

Table 3 Maximum and minimum values of the size of respirable, thoracic, inhalable and non-inhalable particulate matter of airborne dust during MDF cutting in factories 1 and 2.

Types and sizesof particles	Factory 1*		Factory 2^ Sectioning machine with exhaustion.
	Withexhaustion	Without exhaustion
Respirable <10 μm	1.74 to 9.86	1.83 to 9.92	1.84 to 9.89
Thoracic <25 μm	10.24 to 24.89	10.17 to 24.95	10.19 to 24.99
Inhalable <100 μm	25.06 to 96.85	25.00 to 99.84	25.01 to 70.78
Non-inhalable >100 μm	110.80 to 237.31	117.77 to 160.86	-

Sociedade de Investigações Florestais Universidade Federal de Viçosa, CEP: 36570-900 - Viçosa - Minas Gerais - Brazil, Tel: (55 31) 3612-3959 - Viçosa - MG - Brazil
E-mail: rarvore@sif.org.br

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