Exposure to total and respirable minerals in an abrasive manufacturing facility

This work describes the qualitative and quantitative determination of some elements found in emery dust in air from abrasive manufacturing industry materials. The analysis of samples was done by neutron activation analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry techniques. Silicon, aluminum, chromium, iron, magnesium, calcium, bromine, manganese, zinc, lead, nickel, and vanadium elements were found. The concentration of silicon in the sampling area was 15.87 +/- 0.87 mg/m3 and 7.93 +/- 0.45 mg/m3 to personal samples, which exceed the threshold limit values (TLV). The other elements were present in concentrations lower than their respective TLVs.