Standard Test Method for Monitoring Diesel Particulate Exhaust in the Workplace

Importancia y uso:

5.1 The test method supports previously proposed occupational exposure standards (7, 8) for DPM. A DPM exposure limit has since been promulgated for metal and nonmetal mines, but there currently are no limits for general occupational settings (a proposed limit (7) was withdrawn from the ACGIH Notice of Intended Changes (NIC) list in 2003). In the United States alone, over a million workers are occupationally exposed (9). An exposure standard for mines is especially important because miners’ exposures are often quite high. NIOSH (9), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (10) (IARC), the World Health Organization (11) (WHO), the California Environmental Protection Agency (12), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (13) (EPA), and the National Toxicology Program (14) reviewed the animal and human evidence on DPM and all classified diesel exhaust as a probable human carcinogen or similar designation. In 2012, the WHO reclassified diesel exhaust as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) (15). In addition, in a study of miners, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and NIOSH reported increased risk of death from lung cancer in exposed workers (16, 17).

5.2 The test method provides a measure of occupational exposure to DPM. Given the economic and public health impact of epidemiological studies, accurate risk assessment is critical. The NIOSH/NCI study of miners exposed to diesel exhaust provides quantitative estimates of lung cancer risk (16, 17). The test method was used for exposure monitoring. Since publication (in 1996) as NMAM 5040, the method has been routinely used for occupational monitoring (5).

5.3 Studies indicate a positive association between airborne levels of fine particles and respiratory illness and mortality (18-26). The test method and others have been used for EPA air monitoring networks and air pollution studies. Because different methods produce different results, method standardization is essential for regulatory compliance determinations and valid comparisons of interlaboratory data.

5.4 The test method is being applied for emission-control testing.

Subcomité:

D22.04

Volúmen:

11.07

Número ICS:

13.040.50 (Transport exaust emissions)

Palabras clave:

air pollution; carbonaceous aerosols; carbon analysis; diesel exhaust; diesel particulate matter; diesel soot; elemental carbon; PM2.5; sampling and analysis; ultra-fine particles;