Assessment of exposure loads of chemicals in workers of the main professions of aluminum production in Eastern Siberia

Introduction. In the production of aluminum, one of the main adverse factors is the air pollution of the working area with f uorine-containing compounds and dust-gas-aerosol mixture, the impact of which can lead to health problems in workers. When establishing the connection of morbidity with the profession, it is important to assess the exposure loads of harmful substances. T is aspect of research in the aluminum industry is not suf iiently covered in the literature.
T e aim of the study is to quantify the exposure loads of priority toxicants in workers of the main professions of aluminum production, depending on the applied technologies of aluminum electrolysis.
Materials and methods. Exposure loads (EL) of chemicals at workers of aluminum production were calculated taking into account the data of a long-term assessment of the working area air for the content of the main harmful substances in workshops with technology of self-baking anode (TSA) and modernized using technology of prebaked anode (TPA).
Results. It has been established that with the use of the traditional electrolysis technology (TSA), the average annual EL indicators in the professions of the electrolysis cell, anodechik and crane operators f uctuated noticeably in the dynamics of long-term observation, exceeding the indicators of the control EL. It is shown that the modernized electrolysis technology (TPA) allows to reduce the EL indicators of chemicals, with the exception of hydrof uoride — one of the priority components of the chemical factor. T e actual EL indicators of this substance in the professional groups did not depend on the applied electrolysis technology and, as before, exceeded the EL control indicators.
Conclusions: Calculations of EL by harmful substances in the production of aluminum have shown that when using TSA, electrolysis cells and anodetes experience the greatest EL, exceeding control indicators, and the lowest  — crane operators. T e transition to a modernized TPA leads to a decrease in the EL indicators, with the exception of the hydrof uoride, a priority component of the chemical factor.

1. Roslyi O.F., Likhacheva Ye.L., eds. Medicine of labor for electrolytic aluminum production. Ekaterinburg: Ekaterinburgskiy meditsinskiy nauchnyy tsentr prof laktiki i okhrany zdorov’ya rabochikh prompredpriyatiy; 2011 (in Russian).

2. Izmerov N.F., Bukhtiyarov I.V., Prokopenko L.V., Kuzmina L.P., Sorkina N.S., Burmistrova T.B. et al. Contemporary aspects of maintenance and promotion of health of the workers employed at the aluminum production enterprises. Med. truda i prom. ekol. 2012; 11: 1–7 (in Russian).

3. Fedoruk AA., Rosly O.F., Slyshkina T.V., Plotko E.G., Lemyasev M.F. Issues of occupational health in the aluminium plant with superpower equipment. Med. truda i prom. ekol. 2012; 11: 13–7 (in Russian).

4. Kalinina O.L., Lakhman O.L., Zobnin Yu.V. Evaluation of the working conditions of the main occupations of the modern aluminic production. Sibirskiy meditsinskiy zhurnal (Irkutsk). 2012; 6: 122–6 (in Russian).

5. Roslyy O.F., Gurvich V.B., Plotko E.G., Kuz’min S.V., Fedoruk A.A., Roslaya N.A. et al. Emerging issues concerning hygiene in the Russian aluminum industry. Med. truda i prom. ekol. 2012; 11: 8–12 (in Russian).

6. Syurin S.A. Health state of aluminum industry workers in the European North of Russia. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2015; 1: 68–72 (in Russian).

7. Shayakhmetov S. F., Meshchakova N.M., Lisetskaya L.G., Merinov A.V., Zhurba O.M., Alekseenko A.N. et al. Hygienic aspects of working conditions in modern aluminum production. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2018; 10: 899–904 DOI: 10.18821/0016-9900-2018-97-10-899-904 (in Russian).

8. T omassen Y., Koch W., Dunkhorst W., Ellingsen D.G., Skaugset N.P., Jordbekken L. et al. Ultraf ne particles at workplaces of a primary aluminium smelter. J. Environ. Monit. 2006; 8(1): 127–33 DOI: 10.1039/B514939H.

9. Jelinic J.D., Nola I.A., Udovicic R., Ostoji´c D., Zuskin E. Exposure to chemical agents in aluminium potrooms. Med Lav. 2007; 98: 407–14.

10. Fedoruk AA., Rosly O.F., Ustiancev S.L., Slyshkina T.V., Zykova V.A., Konstantinov A.V. et al. Professional f uorine loads of electrolysiss at use of f uorinated aluminum in electrolysis of aluminum. Ural’skiy meditsinskiy zhurnal. 2007; S11: 44–7 (in Russian).

11. Zakharenkov V.V., Oleshchenko A.M., Surzhikov D.V., Danilov I.P., Kislitsyna V.V., Korsakova T.G. Determination of the probability of the damage to the health of workers in aluminium production due to the exposure to toxic substances. Byulleten’ VSNTs SO R MN. 2013; 3–2: 75–8 (in Russian).

12. MUK 4.1.1342–03. Measurement of the mass concentration of hydrofluoride (hydrogen fluoride) in the air of the working area by the photometric method. In: Measurement of the concentration of harmful substances in the air of the working area. Collection of guidelines. Issue 40. Moscow: Federal’nyy tsentr gigieny i epidemiologii Rospotrebnadzora; 2006: 12–22 (in Russian).

13. MU 2247–80. Guidelines for the photometric determination of soluble and water-insoluble salts of hydrof uoric acid in the air. In: Guidelines for the determination of harmful substances in the air. Issue XVI. Moscow: Ministerstvo zdravookhraneniya SSSR; 1980: 169–76 (in Russian).

14. MU 3110–84. Guidelines for the separate photometric measurement of the concentrations of magnesium, aluminum and their oxides in the air of the working area. In: Guidelines for the measurement of harmful substances in the air. Issue XХ. Moscow: Ministerstvo zdravookhraneniya SSSR; 1984: 52–60 (in Russian).

15. MU 5883–91. Guidelines for the spectrometric measurement of the concentration of sublimates of coal tar and pitches in the air of the working area. In: Guidelines for the measurement of concentrations of harmful substances in the air of the working area. Issue 12 (revised and updated guidelines). Moscow: Informatsionnoizdatel’skiy tsentr Goskomsanepidnadzora Rossiyskoy Federatsii; 1994: 42–3 (in Russian).

16. Zakharenkov V.V., Oleschenko A.M., Danilov I.P. Automated information system for assessing occupational risks for the health of industrial workers: medical technology. Novokuznetsk; 2013 (in Russian).

17. Oleschenko A.M., Surzhikov D.V., Bolshakov V.V., Kislitsyna V.V. Evaluation of the inf uence of production factors on the health of workers at coal and heat power plants: methodological recommendations. Kemerovo; 2003 (in Russian).

18. Meshchakova N.M., Dyakovich M.P., Shayakhmetov S.F. Assessment of occupational risk among workers in chemical production taking into account exposure toxic load: methodical recommendations. Irkutsk: RIO NC RWH SB RAMS; 2013 (in Russian).