Lead dispersed in air and acid gases are generated by combustion and mechanical abrasion of ammunition components during firing. Shooters and other staff members are exposed to these toxic substances in the air and to potential health risks such as irritation, damage to the nervous system and cancer. The aim of the work was to evaluate the concentrations in the air of some of the main pollutants produced by firearms (rifles and pistols) during the shooting activity in order to evaluate the exposure of the personnel (shooting directors) and of customers attending the two shooting ranges. Unlike previous studies that were conducted for a reduced type of weapons and firing a limited number of shots, in this work two shooting sessions were organized divided by type of weapons, in which 930 rifles’s shots and 2995 pistol’s shots were fired. Results analysis showed that the subjects were exposed to high levels of lead that exceeded the threshold limit value of 50 μg / m3 (TLV-TWA) in the total suspended powders. Maximum lead concentrations in the two structures were found along the firing lines characterized by mean concentrations of 95 μg / m3 (carabine) and 658 μg / m3 (guns), while the personnel were exposed to concentrations of 62 μg / m3 (carabine) and 464 μg / m3 (pistols). Moreover, in the collected powders there are numerous other metals and combustion products, even if in reduced concentrations. Carbon monoxide was detected at levels below the TLP-TWA of 35 ppm, although during shooting sessions in the rifle shooting range, peak firing at 106.3 ppm at 171.1 ppm TLV-C allowed peak exposure limit value of 200 ppm. These results show that the ventilation systems present in the two shooting ranges considered do not effectively remove the airborne pollutants and are not able to extract the pollutants, bringing the exposure to potentially critical levels. It is therefore necessary to intervene on ventilation to prevent overexposure to these toxic substances present in this type of environment.
Il piombo disperso in aria e i gas acidi sono generati dalla combustione e dall'abrasione meccanica dei componenti delle munizioni durante lo sparo. I tiratori e gli altri membri del personale sono esposti a queste sostanze tossiche presenti nell'aria e ai potenziali rischi per la salute quali irritazioni, danni al sistema nervoso e cancro. Lo scopo del lavoro è stato quello di valutare le concentrazioni in aria di alcuni tra i principali inquinanti prodotti dalle armi da fuoco (carabine e pistole) durante l’attività di tiro al fine di valutare l’esposizione del personale (direttori di tiro) e dei clienti frequentanti i due poligoni di tiro. A differenza di studi precedenti che sono stati condotti per una ridotta tipologia di armi e sparando un numero limitato di colpi, in questo lavoro sono state organizzate due sessioni di tiro suddivise per tipologia di armi, nelle quali sono stati effettuati 930 colpi di carabina e 2995 colpi di pistola. Dalle analisi dei risultati è emerso che i soggetti sono stati esposti a livelli elevati di piombo che hanno superato il valor limite di soglia di 50 µg/m3 (TLV-TWA) nelle polveri totali sospese. Le concentrazioni massime del piombo nelle due strutture sono state rinvenute lungo le linee di tiro caratterizzate da concentrazioni medie di 95 µg/m3 (carabine) e 658 µg/m3 (pistole), mentre il personale è stato esposto a concentrazioni di 62 µg/m3 (carabine) e 464 µg/m3 (pistole). Inoltre, nelle polveri raccolte sono presenti numerosi altri metalli e prodotti di combustione, anche se a concentrazioni ridotte. Il monossido di carbonio è stato rilevato a livelli inferiori al TLV-TWA di 35 ppm, anche se durante le sessioni di tiro nel poligono per carabina, nelle linee di tiro si sono riscontrati picchi a 106,3 ppm a 171,1 ppm prossimi al valore limite di esposizione di picco consentito TLV-C di 200 ppm. Tali risultati evidenziano che i sistemi di ventilazione presenti nei due poligoni considerati non rimuovono efficacemente le sostanze inquinanti aerodisperse e non sono in grado di estrarre gli inquinanti, portando l'esposizione a livelli potenzialmente critici. È necessario intervenire quindi sulla ventilazione per prevenire la sovraesposizione a queste sostanze tossiche presenti in questo tipo di ambienti.
Valutazione dell'esposizione a inquinanti nei poligoni di tiro
GIUSSANI, DANIELE
2017/2018
Abstract
Lead dispersed in air and acid gases are generated by combustion and mechanical abrasion of ammunition components during firing. Shooters and other staff members are exposed to these toxic substances in the air and to potential health risks such as irritation, damage to the nervous system and cancer. The aim of the work was to evaluate the concentrations in the air of some of the main pollutants produced by firearms (rifles and pistols) during the shooting activity in order to evaluate the exposure of the personnel (shooting directors) and of customers attending the two shooting ranges. Unlike previous studies that were conducted for a reduced type of weapons and firing a limited number of shots, in this work two shooting sessions were organized divided by type of weapons, in which 930 rifles’s shots and 2995 pistol’s shots were fired. Results analysis showed that the subjects were exposed to high levels of lead that exceeded the threshold limit value of 50 μg / m3 (TLV-TWA) in the total suspended powders. Maximum lead concentrations in the two structures were found along the firing lines characterized by mean concentrations of 95 μg / m3 (carabine) and 658 μg / m3 (guns), while the personnel were exposed to concentrations of 62 μg / m3 (carabine) and 464 μg / m3 (pistols). Moreover, in the collected powders there are numerous other metals and combustion products, even if in reduced concentrations. Carbon monoxide was detected at levels below the TLP-TWA of 35 ppm, although during shooting sessions in the rifle shooting range, peak firing at 106.3 ppm at 171.1 ppm TLV-C allowed peak exposure limit value of 200 ppm. These results show that the ventilation systems present in the two shooting ranges considered do not effectively remove the airborne pollutants and are not able to extract the pollutants, bringing the exposure to potentially critical levels. It is therefore necessary to intervene on ventilation to prevent overexposure to these toxic substances present in this type of environment.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/141311