Low level exposure to nine volatile chemicals in research and testing laboratories at a South African university
Date
2010Author
Franken, Anja
Du Plessis, Johan L.
Eloff, Fritz C.
Laubscher, Petrus J.
Van Aarde, M. Nico
Franken, Anja
Du Plessis, Johan L.
Eloff, Fritz C.
Laubscher, Petrus J.
Van Aarde, M. Nico
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Universities have numerous research and testing laboratories where laboratory workers are
exposed to various hazardous chemical substances on a regular basis with short periods of
exposure possibly above the short-term exposure limits. Personal and general exposure to nine
hazardous chemical substances in these laboratories was measured by using sorbent tubes and a
direct reading instrument. Eight-hour time weighted average exposure to these chemicals was well
below the occupational exposure limits. The simultaneous exposure to various chemicals adds to
the total concentration which laboratory workers were exposed on a daily basis. Only half of the
fume cupboards provided in the laboratories were functioning effectively; however those functioning
fume cupboards were not used optimally. The continuous exposure to low levels of hazardous
substances in laboratories reinforces the need for adequate control measures to be implemented
and maintained in order to eliminate or reduce exposure, even though monitoring results does not
exceed time weighted average occupational exposure limits.
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- Faculty of Health Sciences [2377]