Document G5BOkDbNQ5KDnywvgZV5NQ52q
The CHEMISTRY
of INDUSTRIAL TOXICOLOGY
HERVEY B. ELKINS, Ph.D.
Chief of Laboratory Division of Occupational Hygiene Massachusetts Department of Labor and Industries
JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC., NEW YORK CHAPMAN & HALL, LIMITED, LONDON
CHAPTER XI
NATURAL AND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
MINERALS
The most important minerals, from the standpoint of industrial hygiene, are those containing free silica. These include sand, sand stone, flint, and quartz, which consist mainly of silica in the form of quartz; diatomaceous earth, which is essentially amorphous silica; and granite, which contains from 20 to 40% quartz.
Minerals that contain combined silica (silicates) but no free silica are incapable of causing silicosis. Asbestos, however, causes a fibrotic lung condition known as asbestosis, which resembles sili cosis in many respects and can be almost as serious. Mica dust is also considered somewhat hazardous to inhale and in addition may cause skin irritation.
Non-siliceous minerals, like limestone, marble, dolomite, etc., which do not contain toxic elements, do not ordinarily present any significant dust hazard- Minerals containing toxic elements, such as fluorite and cryolite (fluorine), and pyrolusite (manganese) may cause systemic poisoning if the dust is inhaled or ingested in quan tity. As a rule, such minerals are less reactive than synthetic compounds of the same elements, however, and may be relatively inert and innocuous in comparison.
A detailed discussion of silica and other mineral dusts, their occurrence, effects, and evaluation, is given in Industrial Dust, by Drinker and Hatch.219
ABRASIVES
Abrasives containing free silica, such as sandstone grinding wheels, flint sandpaper, and sand used for abrasive blasting processes, all present a silicosis hazard. Most artificial abrasives, however, consist of silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, boron car bide, or other inert and non-toxic substances. Rouge, or iron .oxide, used for polishing, is also harmless for practical purposes.
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226 MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE CONCENTRATIONS
TABLE 38 (Continued)
Substanc* Dinitrotoluene Diphenyl
2, Fumes, Dusts, and Mists {Continued)
MAC (mg/m*)
(i.s)
(2)
Basis Animal data
Sousa ACGIH*1** Deichmann11*
Fluorides
1 See discussion
Massachusetts ****
Hexachloronaphthalene Hydroquinone
0.5 Animal data
2 field data
Drinker**1* Sterner*11*
Iron (oxide fumes)
15 Field data
ACGIH**
Lead (except chromate and sulfide)
Lead chromate and sulfide
0.15 (0J)
Field studies
USPHS**1
Magnesium oxide Manganese Mercury
15 6 0.1
Field data Field studies Field studies
Cook*111 USPHS*" USPHS*1*
Nickel (except oxide) Nitrodiphenyl
Osmium (tetroxide)
(0.S)
(1)
(o.oi)
Reported field data Animal data
Field studies
Deichmann11* McLaughlin et al.*1
PcAtachloronaphthalene Pentachlorophenol Phosphorus Platinum (soluble salts)
1 (0.5) (0.1) 0.002
Animal data
Animal data Field studies
Drinker*1*0 ACGIH** ACGIH*11* Hunter et al.*
Selenium compounds Sulfuric acid
(0.1) 5
Animal data Sensory response
Dudley" Sterner*114
Tellurium Tetrachloronaphthalene Tetryl Thallium Thorium TNT Trichloronaphthalene
(0.005) 5 1.5 (0.1) (0.5) 1.5 5
Field studies Animal data Field data Animal data Analogy with radium Field studies Field data
Stdnburg77 Drinker110 USPHS*441
USPHS*14* Cook*11*
Uranium
(0.02) Animal data
Welding Fumes (N.O.C.) Zinc
15 Field data 15 Field data
........................................... Massachusetts *'**
Subsianc* Asbestos Mica Silica Foundry Granite Miscellaneous (nuisance)
3. Mineral Dusts
MAC (millions of particles
per cubic foot of air)
Sourct
5 Massachusetts *
50 ACGIH*
5 Massachusetts*
25 Massachusetts*
15 Massachusetts*
50 Massachusetts*
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