Monitoring of welding aerosol compositions (a review)

Abstract

Physicochemical properties inherent in the solid component of welding aerosols (SCWA) are characterized. The features of SCWA sampling are considered. Methods are indicated which are most commonly used for the analysis of SCWA in Russian and foreign analytical practice. Destructive and nondestructive methods of SCWA analysis are compared, and their advantages and disadvantages are noted. By particular examples, it is shown that because of the complexity of phase and chemical composition of SCWA samples, rather frequently, one observes a loss of monitored elements in the course of the decomposition of exposed filters. Techniques for making synthetic calibration samples are considered for both classes of methods. In the case of using the X-ray fluorescence method, it is difficult to prepare calibration samples adequate to real SCWA samples collected on a filter. The comparative variant of neutron activation analysis involves synthetic mixtures for the calculation of the content of analytes containing one or two components. Metrological characteristics are presented for SCWA analysis techniques.