Spectroscopic Techniques in Industrial Hygiene

Abstract

Over the past few decades the pace of change in spectroscopic techniques has been remarkable. Spectroscopic techniques are emerging as important, powerful, and versatile tools in determining exposure levels of hazards generated in working environments. Occupational safety and health studies employ spectroscopic techniques to analyze hazardous chemicals, biomarkers, and particulate matters of exposure. In comparison with many traditional detection techniques such as gravimetric methods, spectrometric techniques are much more sensitive, selective and accurate. The major spectroscopic techniques used in industrial hygiene include mass spectrometry (MS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray microanalysis (XM), atomic spectrometry (AS), ultraviolet/visible (UV/VIS) photometry, fluorescent spectrometry (FS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy (RS). Interest in using MS in industrial hygiene is driven by its value in understanding basic physical, chemical, and biological processes related to workers' exposure to occupational hazards, and in devising new methodologies to monitor exposures. SEM has become particularly useful in the study of pneumoconioses and workplace environmental particles since being complemented with energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis and automated image analysis capabilities. SEM and EDX have been used extensively to characterize particles found in lung tissues. Atomic spectrometric methods are used widely for occupational health evaluation of inorganicmetals. The development of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICPAES) techniques has become increasingly attractive, and has been applicable to analysis of nearly all the elements. FTIR and Raman spectroscopies are employed to detect highly toxic gas and vapor mixtures. Additionally, field‐portable methods for monitoring airborne workplace contaminants and toxins have received increasing attention. To date, highly specific, selective, and sensitive spectroscopic technologies have allowed for the development of novel methodologies and new indicators for exposure characterization. Assessment of actual body burden of chemicals, which are more directly related to potential adverse occupational health effects, can be accomplished. The major spectroscopic techniques and their applications to industrial hygiene are described in this article.

Urinary Benzo[a]pyrene and Its Metabolites as Molecular Biomarkers of Asphalt Fume Exposure Characterized by Microflow LC Coupled to Hybrid Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

“…Other techniques such as HPLC/UV and HPLC/fluorescence detection can also be used to measure metabolites in the living system . Such techniques may also be cost-effective.…”

“…A liquid chromatography (LC) method with fluorescence detection was reported for the determination of 3-hydroxybenzo[ a ]pyrene and 3-hydroxybenz[ a ]anthracene in the urine of PAH-exposed workers . The applications of liquid chromatography−mass spectrometry in analysis of workplace and environmental samples continue to increase. − However, the analytical challenges associated with developing a reliable method for quantifying the PAHs and their metabolites in a living system are still considerable.…”

Identification of metal sensitization in sarcoid-like metal-exposed patients by the MELISA® lymphocyte proliferation test — a pilot study

“…We did not find a good correlation between SEM metal analysis and the results of lymphocyte proliferation testing may be due to the fact that the analysis is done randomly on 3–4 places on the biopsy surface [ 22 ], and either does not represent the total content of the metals in the tissue or there is an insufficient concentration of metal for detection with SEM [ 23 ]. Another explanation is that may be that like for beryllium CD4 T cell responding in the blood is determined by the relative proportion of memory T cell subsets, which is influenced by the degree of target organ inflammation [ 24 ].…”

Acid-Soluble Internal Capsules for Closed-Face Cassette Elemental Sampling and Analysis of Workplace Air

“…Subsequently, the filter deposit is normally analyzed by atomic spectrometric techniques after acid dissolution of the filter medium plus collected particles. (3–5) Unfortunately, analysis of the filter deposit alone does not always adequately measure worker exposures to airborne metals and metalloids because it can underestimate the concentration of airborne particles, thus potentially giving a false assurance of protection from overexposure. This underestimation results from accumulations of sampled aerosol particles on internal sampler surfaces, a contribution to exposure that has not always been included in analytical procedures.…”