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Evaluation of a standardized method for determining soluble silver in workplace air samples
Pamela L Drake1, A Dale Marcy, Kevin Ashley
1US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Spokane Research Laboratory, 315 E. Montgomery Ave., Spokane, WA 99207, USA. pdrake@cdc.gov
Journal of Environmental Monitoring : JEM
|January 6, 2006
Summary
A new method distinguishes soluble silver from total silver in workplace air. This advancement is crucial for accurate occupational exposure assessments, as soluble silver comprises a small fraction of total silver.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Analytical Chemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Occupational exposure limits for silver vary based on its chemical form.
- Historically, distinguishing soluble from insoluble silver in air samples was not feasible, leading to reporting as total silver.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a method for differentiating water-soluble silver compounds from total silver in workplace air samples.
- To validate an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) method for determining soluble silver in airborne particulate matter.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiments assessed analytical figures of merit, including filter media (PTFE), extraction solutions, recovery, and sample stability.
- Field studies involved collecting workplace air samples in silver refineries.
- Samples were analyzed for soluble silver and sequentially for total silver.
Main Results:
- Over 90% silver recovery was achieved from Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filters.
- In field studies, soluble silver constituted approximately 2% or less of the total silver mass fraction.
- The evaluated ISO method was validated for determining soluble silver.
Conclusions:
- The validated method enables accurate differentiation of soluble and total silver in airborne particulate matter.
- This capability is essential for precise occupational exposure assessments for silver.
- The findings highlight that soluble silver is a minor component in the studied workplace air samples.
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