Assessment of lead exposure in PVC manufactures and suggestions for control measures

Opisan je postupak uzimanja uzoraka zraka kao i metodika određivanja olova u tim uzorcima. Uzorak prašine koja sadržava olovo spaljen je kod 500° C, zatim istaložen kao olovni kromat, a nakon otapanja taloga u solnoj kiselini vezani kromat je određen difenilkarbazidom fotokolorimetrijski. U radu su zatim izneseni rezultati ispitivanja olova u atmosferi kod različitih tehnoloških operacija pri preradi PVC-a u tri tvornice za preradu plastičnih masa na području Dalmacije. Skoro na svim radnim mjestima su nađene u atmosferi koncentracije olova, koje znatno prelaze maksimalno dopuštene. Na kraju su dani prijedlozi za asanaciju radnih mjesta, i to kao najvažnije da olovne soli u prahu treba primjenjivati isključivo u obliku paste pomiješane s tekućim omekšivačem, kako bi se eliminiralo stvaranje prašine.Air sampling procedure and the method for determination of lead in the samples collected are described. A dust sample containing lead was ashed at 500° C and lead was precipitated as lead chromate. After dissolving the precipitate in HCl lead chromate was determined by diphenylcarbazone. In the paper results of lead determination in the air in three Dalmatian PVC manufactures are presented. At almost every examined operation the concentration of lead in the air was found to exceed maximum permissible concentrations. Some suggestions for preventing lead hazard are given and it is pointed out that the most useful way of eliminating dust is to mix lead salts with a liquid plasticizer before application