The effect of aerosol on estimates of inhalation exposure to airborne styrene.

Exposure to volatile organic contaminants usually is attributed to vapors alone; samples are collected on charcoal tubes or by passive dosimeters. This study demonstrated that aerosols, generated during the spraying of polyester resin solution, can contribute significantly to the exposure to volatile organic contaminants. Four spraying experiments were performed during which 64 samples were collected and analyzed to determine the styrene air concentrations. The results from the four spraying experiments showed that aerosols represented 30% +/- 3% of the total air concentration of styrene. The contribution of aerosols to inhalation exposure needs to be considered in other industrial situations where spray processes are used.