Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, July–Sept. 2006; 88(3): 385–394 Fume emissions during gas metal arc welding

The control of exposure to welding fumes is of increasing importance in promoting a healthy, safe and productive work environment. This article describes the effects of shielding gas composition on the amount and composition of welding fumes produced during gas metal arc welding (GMAW). The amount of fumes generated during welding was measured for steady current over a range of wire-feed speeds and arc voltages using the standard procedures contained in ANSI/AWS F1.2 [American Welding Society. ANSI/AWS F1.2. Laboratory method for measuring fume generation rates and total fume emission of welding and allied processes. Miami, Florida; 1992]. Results of these measurements show that the fume formation rates (FFRs) increase with CO2 and O2 in the shielding gas mixture. The lowest FFRs were obtained with the mixtures of Arþ 2%CO2 and Arþ 3%CO2þ 1%O2. The highest FFRs were obtained with the mixtures of Arþ 18%CO2 and Arþ 5%CO2þ 4%O2. The welding fumes contains mainly iron, manganese, silicon, titanium and sodium under oxide forms. The fume cluster particles have dimensions between 0.5 and 2 mm. The FFR was found to be governed by the transfer modes of molten metal, i.e. the current intensity and arc voltage, as well as by the shielding gas mixtures composition. Thus these parameters have to be taken into consideration before designing a welding process. Whenever possible, users of GMAW should use the lowest current intensity. However, when this is not possible, due to the constraints of process productivity, welders should use higher currents, but with Arþ 2%CO2 and Arþ 3%CO2þ 1%O2 shielding mixtures, which will lead to smaller fume emissions