Relation between various chromiumcompoundsand some other elements infumesfrommanualmetal arc stainless steel welding

Fortheyears1987-1990 160individual samples ofmanualmetalarcstainless steel (MMA/SS) weldingfumesfromthebreathing zoneof welders infourindustrial plants werecollected.Concentrations ofsoluble andinsoluble chromium(Cr)IIIandCrVIcompoundsas wellasofsomeotherwelding fumeelements (Fe,Mn,Ni,F)weredetermined. Concentrationofweldingfumesinthebreathing zone rangedfrom 0'2to23-4mglm3.TotalCr amountedto0-005-0-991 mglm3 (including 0005-0-842 mg/m3CrVI).TotalCrcontent of fumesvariedfrom0-1to7-4%.Thedistributionofparticular Crcompoundswas:52-6% soluble Cr(including 507% CrVI),65-5%total CrVI,and11-4%insoluble CrVI.Theresults obtained indicate thatMMA/SSweldingisa processthatcouldbe highlyhazardousto human health. Evaluation ofoccupational exposurehasshownthatMMA/SS welders may exceedtheadmissible concentrations of soluble andinsoluble CrVIformsaswellasof Mn andNi.Intheplants investigated thesum oftheratios ofconcentrations ofparticular welding fumesinthebreathing zoneofwelders exceeded corresponding maximum allowable concentration values by24times(including 17 timesfortotal CrVI).Duetothevariety and changeability ofparticular parameters occurringintheworking environment, thecompositionof MMA/SS weldingfumes(inthe welder's breathing zone)issovariable thatitis notpossible toassess theexposure bymeansof