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Occupational exposure to insoluble Nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter
Mini Dissertation (MPh (Public Health))--University of Pretoria, 2012.
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University of Pretoria
2013
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| _version_ | 1867613459483459584 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Wichmann, Janine |
| author_browse | Wichmann, Janine |
| author_facet | Wichmann, Janine |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2000, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Mini Dissertation (MPh (Public Health))--University of Pretoria, 2012. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/31588 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:29.146Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/31588 Occupational exposure to insoluble Nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter Wichmann, Janine janine.wichmann@up.ac.za Westaway, Margaret S. Van der Merwe, Alicia Metal smelter Platinum Nickel (Ni) Insoluble Occupational exposure Epidemiology Public health UCTD Mini Dissertation (MPh (Public Health))--University of Pretoria, 2012. Introduction: Ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum are known as platinum group metals (PGMs) and are, together with gold and silver, regarded as precious metals due to their scarcity. The world’s biggest concentration of PGMs can be found in the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. PGMs are isolated from the ore and the metals concentrated into their pure form through a series of complex steps. Insoluble nickel is considered to be a carcinogenic substance and therefore a hazard to human health. It is a by-product of the processes during mining, smelting and refining of PGMs and therefore released in the workplace where workers are exposed to it. Nickel has been classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), and South African legislation. The general aim of this study was to determine the occupational exposure level to insoluble nickel at a Primary PGM smelter in the North West Province. Historical exposure monitoring data were used in order to identify associations between gender, age, years of employment and occupation, and the level of exposure. Results were also compared to the current Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) of 0.5 mg/m3 provided by South African legislation and to a stricter OEL of 0.01 mg/m3 proposed by the Scientific Committee for Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL). Methodology: One-hundred-and-fifty-two samples collected from 90 study participants over the period of 2010 and 2011 were available for the study. Due to the failure of five sampling pumps during the measurement period, the five samples were discarded as the flow rate and duration could not be determined. Therefore, only 147 samples were available. Descriptive statistics for categorical and continuous data were conducted. Demographic data of the sample population were analysed in order to determine relationships between categorical variables (gender, occupation) and the level of exposure. Correlations between continuous variables (age, years of employment) and exposure level were also determined. Results were also compared to the current South African OEL and to the SCOEL OEL in order to assess current compliance as well as future compliance should the new OEL be adopted. Results: There was no statistically significant difference among the level of exposure of males and females (z = -1.18; p = 0.24), nor among the four age groups (Chi-square = 6.05; p = 0.11) nor among the four years of employment groups and the level of exposure (Chi-square = 1.25; p = 0.74). The difference between the occupation type and level of exposure was small (Chi-square = 20.99; p = 0.051). Single regression analyses indicated a positive significant correlation between the level of exposure and years of employment for instrumentation technicians only (r = 0.77; p = 0.045). Conclusion: The level of exposure was not dependent on the age, duration of employment of an employee or their gender. It was, however, dependent on their occupation. Currently, the smelter complies with South African legislation, but should the SCOEL OEL be adopted in future, control measures should be improved in order to lower exposure levels.C13/4/173 School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) unrestricted 2013-09-10T07:01:38Z 2013-09-10T07:01:38Z 2000-00-00 2012 2013-02-22 Mini Dissertation Van der Merwe, A 2000, Occupational Exposure to Insoluble Nickel in a Primary Platinum Group Metal Smelter, MPH dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < > http://hdl.handle.net/2263/31588 © 2000, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Metal smelter Platinum Nickel (Ni) Insoluble Occupational exposure Epidemiology Public health UCTD Occupational exposure to insoluble Nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter |
| title | Occupational exposure to insoluble Nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter |
| title_full | Occupational exposure to insoluble Nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter |
| title_fullStr | Occupational exposure to insoluble Nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occupational exposure to insoluble Nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter |
| title_short | Occupational exposure to insoluble Nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter |
| title_sort | occupational exposure to insoluble nickel in a primary platinum group metal smelter |
| topic | Metal smelter Platinum Nickel (Ni) Insoluble Occupational exposure Epidemiology Public health UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/31588 |