Exposure of Mobile Chipper Operators to Diesel Exhaust

Natascia Magagnotti; Gianni Picchi; Gianfranco Sciarra; Raffaele Spinelli

doi:10.1093/annhyg/met059

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Exposure of Mobile Chipper Operators to Diesel Exhaust

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Exposure of Mobile Chipper Operators to Diesel Exhaust

Natascia Magagnotti, Gianni Picchi, Gianfranco Sciarra and Raffaele Spinelli

Annals of Occupational Hygiene, Vol.58(2), pp.217-226

2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/met059

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Abstract

Public Health and Health Services

biomass

BTEX

forestry

Italy

mountain

PAHs

The current boom of forest biomass is making mobile chippers increasingly popular among forest operators. This motivates concern about the potential exposure of chipper operators to noxious chemicals derived from diesel fuel combustion. The objective of this study was to determine operator exposure to BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) generated from diesel combustion. This study sampled 28 mobile chipping operations in the Italian mountains, in order to determine professional exposure to BTEX and PAHs among chipper operators. IOM, Radiello®, and XAD2 samplers were used for the purpose. Operations were divided into industrial and small scale, the former based on powerful chippers with enclosed cabs and the latter on smaller machines without enclosed cabs. We could not detect any measurable exposure to BTEX, while exposure levels for PAHs were very low, especially for what concerned recognized cancer agents. That is likely related to work environment and organization because mobile chippers work in the open-air forest environment and in the presence of very few other machines. PAH concentration was significantly higher inside cabs than outside. None of the operators involved in this research was exposed to BTEX or PAHs above occupational exposure limits.

Details

Title: Exposure of Mobile Chipper Operators to Diesel Exhaust
Authors: Natascia Magagnotti (Author) - CNR IVALSA, Italy
Gianni Picchi (Author) - CNR IVALSA, Italy
Gianfranco Sciarra (Author) - Local Health Unit, Italy
Raffaele Spinelli (Author) - CNR IVALSA, Italy
Publication details: Annals of Occupational Hygiene, Vol.58(2), pp.217-226
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date published: 2014
DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/met059
ISSN: 0003-4878
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Industries Research Centre; Forest Research Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99448823602621
Output Type: Journal article

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