Table 2.
Distribution of estimated cumulative exposure to welding fume particulates by type of steel and main welding technology among ever-welding Danish metal workers.
| N Welders | Years welding, mean (STD) | Geometric mean particulate exposure, mg/m3 | Geometric mean (min-max), mg/m3 * years, 1950–20041 | Geometric mean (min-max), mg/m3 * years, 1987–20041 | ||
| Mild steel | manual metal arc (MMA) | 37 | 7.5 (6.1) | 4.1 | 31 (8–103) | 17 (7–61) |
| metal active gas (MAG) | 39 | 12.4 (9.7) | 3.2 | 40 (7–134) | 26 (9–50) | |
| Stainless steel | manual metal arc (MMA) | 1 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 15 (15–15) | 0 |
| tungsten inert gas (TIG) | 28 | 15.1 (10.9) | 1.4 | 22 (3–63) | 14 (3–26) | |
| Alloyed steel | manual metal arc (MMA) | 20 | 16 (12.4) | 6.5 | 105 (8–478) | 42 (7–166) |
| tungsten inert gas (TIG) | 13 | 11.6 (7.6) | 1,5 | 17 (2–34) | 12 (2–23) | |
| Aluminum | tungsten inert gas (TIG) | 7 | 4.8 (5.5) | 2.3 | 11 (3–22) | 11 (3–22) |
| All particulates | 76 | . | . | 88 (4–499) | 37 (3–166)2 |
1) estimates based upon the assumption that exposures levels have not declined from 1989 onwards.
2) includes 68 men performing welding tasks during at least one appointment from 1987 through 2004.