Inhalation exposure to respirable particulate matter among workers in relation to their e-waste open burning activities in Buriram Province, Thailand

Abstract

The mass concentrations of fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM2.5–10) particulate matter were determined directly from breathing zones of e-waste dismantling workers during the primitive open burning processes using a Personal Modular Impactor connected to a personal air sampler. The average concentration of PM2.5–10 was 441 ± 496 μg m− 3 (N = 33), and for PM2.5, the average concentration was 2774 ± 4713 μg m− 3 (N = 33). Additionally, the concentrations of PM10, which were the summation of PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 concentrations, had an average concentration of 3215 ± 4858 μg m− 3 (N = 33). The average PM2.5 mass concentrations accounted for 75 ± 18% from those of PM10, suggesting that PM2.5 was the main component of particulate matter that the workers were exposed to during the burning activity. The study also found that increased amounts of burnt e-waste significantly influenced the concentrations of coarse and fine particles emitted. Moreover, the Pearson’s correlation showed a positive relationship between each type of PM mass concentrations and their own total weighted scores of activity patterns. The results indicated that the activity that most increased the exposure concentration of PM2.5 was mixing e-waste on fire. In contrast, the activities that influenced the exposure of PM2.5–10 are mechanical activities, such as compiling and sweeping of e-waste, which are processes that emit and spread larger sizes of particulate matter into the air around the working environment.