The mutagenicity of emissions from eight binder systems used in steel foundries

Emissions generated when molten steel was poured into sand molds fabricated with eight different binder systems were collected separately and tested for mutagenic activity using the Ames Salmonella assay. The sampling device consisted of an initial 8 X 10 in. glass fiber filter in a custom fabricated apparatus through which air was drawn using a Hi-Vol motor and fan. A portion of the airstream, which passed this filter, was in turn passed through a smaller glass fiber filter and then into two glass impingers filled with ice-cold methanol. All the binder systems generated material, which induced mutations in the absence of added S-9 extract, and in all emissions a higher level of activity was found when S-9 was added. In the presence of S-9, the shell-core system produced by far the most mutagenic activity followed by the oil-clay-cereal system. The green sand, furan and Kold Set systems produced much lower levels while the two reclaimed sand systems and sodium silicate system were intermediate.