Files and links (1)
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified), Open
Journal article
Exposure to airborne asbestos in thermal power plants in Mongolia
International journal of occupational and environmental health, v 21(2)
27 Mar 2015
PMID: 25730489
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Background:
Coal-fired thermal power plants (TPPs) in Mongolia use various types of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in thermal insulation of piping systems, furnaces, and other products.
Objective:
To investigate the occupational exposure of insulation workers to airborne asbestos in Mongolian power plants.
Methods:
Forty-seven air samples were collected from four power plants in Mongolia during the progress of insulation work. The samples were analyzed by phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Results:
The average phase contrast microscopy equivalent (PCME) asbestos fiber concentration was 0·93 f/cm
3
. Sixteen of the 41 personal and one of the area samples exceeded the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US OSHA) short-term exposure limit of 1·0 f/cm
3
. If it is assumed that the short-term samples collected are representative of full-shift exposure, then the exposures are approximately 10 times higher than the US OSHA 8-hour permissible exposure limit of 0·1 f/cm
3
.
Conclusion:
Power plant insulation workers are exposed to airborne asbestos at concentrations that exceed the US OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit. Action to mitigate the risks should be taken in Mongolia.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Exposure to airborne asbestos in thermal power plants in Mongolia
- Creators
- Naransukh Damiran - Mongolian National University of Medical SciencesEllen K Silbergeld - BloombergArthur L Frank - Drexel UniversityOyuntogos Lkhasuren - World Health OrganizationChimedsuren Ochir - Mongolian National University of Medical SciencesPatrick N. Breysse - Bloomberg
- Publication Details
- International journal of occupational and environmental health, v 21(2)
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000351874800004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84937116154
- Other Identifier
- 991019168976904721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health