Aerosol versus solution composition in occupational exposures

Some industrial processes, such as the electrolysis of zinc solutions, anodic oxidation of aluminum, ore flotation, etc., result in the generation of gas microbubbles; the composition of their liquid envelope depends on, but is not identical to, the composition of the bulk of the liquid phase. An aerosol of respirable size, often toxic or irritant, results from the bursting of the bubbles at a certain height above the liquid. Some factors governing the discrepancy between the composition of the aerosol and that of the liquid have been studied for metal ions in oceanic aerosols. It is not known if these factors also apply to concentrated solutions and to anions.