Next Article in Journal
From a Symptom-Based to a Person-Centered Approach in Treating Depressive Disorders in Adolescence: A Clinical Case Formulation Using the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM-2)’s Framework
Previous Article in Journal
Effects of a 10-Week Combined Coordination and Agility Training Program on Young Male Soccer Players
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Characterization and Hazard Identification of Respirable Cement and Concrete Dust from Construction Activities

by
Akshay Gharpure
*,
James William Heim II
and
Randy L. Vander Wal
The John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering and the EMS Energy Institute, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10126; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910126
Submission received: 26 August 2021 / Revised: 22 September 2021 / Accepted: 23 September 2021 / Published: 27 September 2021
(This article belongs to the Topic Air Pollution and Occupational Exposure)

Abstract

Construction is an important segment of the economy that employs millions of people. Construction dust is an occupational health hazard to millions of construction workers worldwide. The hazards associated with respirable dust depend upon its particulate size distribution and chemical composition, as these determine the deposition pattern in the respiratory tract and reactivity, respectively. This study presents characterization of the size and composition of the dust from two key construction materials—cast cement and poured concrete. The dust was generated by cutting the cured cement and concrete blocks using an 18” hand-held circular saw as used in highway and building construction. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and laser diffraction were performed for the size analysis of the particles. Energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used for chemical analysis. X-ray diffraction was used for phase identification. Electron diffraction patterns were obtained to assess the crystallinity of individual particles. They confirm the crystallinity of particles of different size and shapes. With a particle size range between 0.5 μm and 10 μm, greater than 90% of particles fell below 2.5 μm, presenting a respirable health concern. Crystalline compounds including the metals Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, Na, and K were detected. The concrete particles were most enriched in crystalline silica with a concentration of more than 30% by weight. The presence of metals and high crystalline silica content pose a serious health concern to construction workers.
Keywords: cement dust; respiratory hazard; PM2.5 characterization; construction; crystalline silica cement dust; respiratory hazard; PM2.5 characterization; construction; crystalline silica

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Gharpure, A.; Heim, J.W., II; Vander Wal, R.L. Characterization and Hazard Identification of Respirable Cement and Concrete Dust from Construction Activities. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 10126. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910126

AMA Style

Gharpure A, Heim JW II, Vander Wal RL. Characterization and Hazard Identification of Respirable Cement and Concrete Dust from Construction Activities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(19):10126. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910126

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gharpure, Akshay, James William Heim, II, and Randy L. Vander Wal. 2021. "Characterization and Hazard Identification of Respirable Cement and Concrete Dust from Construction Activities" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 19: 10126. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910126

APA Style

Gharpure, A., Heim, J. W., II, & Vander Wal, R. L. (2021). Characterization and Hazard Identification of Respirable Cement and Concrete Dust from Construction Activities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), 10126. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910126

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop