Assessment of exposure loads of chemicals in workers of the main professions of aluminum production in Eastern Siberia

Introduction. In the production of aluminum, one of the main adverse factors is the air pollution of the working area with f uorine-containing compounds and dust-gas-aerosol mixture, the impact of which can lead to health problems in workers. When establishing the connection of morbidity with the profession, it is important to assess the exposure loads of harmful substances. T is aspect of research in the aluminum industry is not suf iiently covered in the literature. T e aim of the study is to quantify the exposure loads of priority toxicants in workers of the main professions of aluminum production, depending on the applied technologies of aluminum electrolysis. Materials and methods. Exposure loads (EL) of chemicals at workers of aluminum production were calculated taking into account the data of a long-term assessment of the working area air for the content of the main harmful substances in workshops with technology of self-baking anode (TSA) and modernized using technology of prebaked anode (TPA). Results. It has been established that with the use of the traditional electrolysis technology (TSA), the average annual EL indicators in the professions of the electrolysis cell, anodechik and crane operators f uctuated noticeably in the dynamics of long-term observation, exceeding the indicators of the control EL. It is shown that the modernized electrolysis technology (TPA) allows to reduce the EL indicators of chemicals, with the exception of hydrof uoride — one of the priority components of the chemical factor. T e actual EL indicators of this substance in the professional groups did not depend on the applied electrolysis technology and, as before, exceeded the EL control indicators. Conclusions : Calculations of EL by harmful substances in the production of aluminum have shown that when using TSA, electrolysis cells and anodetes experience the greatest EL, exceeding control indicators, and the lowest  — crane operators. T e transition to a modernized TPA leads to a decrease in the EL indicators, with the exception of the hydrof uoride, a priority component of the chemical factor.