Airborne Fumigants and Residual Chemicals in Shipping Containers Arriving in New Zealand.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Airborne fumigants and other hazardous chemicals inside unopened shipping containers may pose a risk to workers handling containers.

Methods

Grab air samples from 490 sealed containers arriving in New Zealand were analysed for fumigants and other hazardous chemicals. We also collected grab air samples of 46 containers immediately upon opening and measured the total concentration of volatile organic compounds in real-time during ventilation. Additive Mixture Values (AMV) were calculated using the New Zealand Workplace Exposure standard (WES) and ACGIH Threshold Limit Values (TLV) of the 8-h, time-weighted average (TWA) exposure limit. Regression analyses assessed associations with container characteristics.

Results

Fumigants were detectable in 11.4% of seale

SUBMITTER: Hinz R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9030136 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature