Table 5.

Welding fume characterization by ICP-AES*

Welding Fume Sample	Metal (weight %)†	Soluble/insoluble Ratio	pH
GMA-MS Gas metal arc-mild steel	Fe 85 Mn 14	0.020	Total 7.02 Soluble 7.44 Insoluble 7.03
GMA-SS Gas metal arc-stainless steel	Fe 53 Mn 23 Cr 19 Ni 5	0.006	Total 6.94 Soluble 6.97 Insoluble 7.01
MMA-SS Manual metal arc-stainless steel	Fe 41 Cr 29 Mn 17 Ni 3	0.345 Soluble metals: Cr 87% Mn 11%	Total 6.92 Soluble 7.05 Insoluble 7.09

*Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. † Relative to all metals analyzed. Note. Abbreviations are Cr-chromium; Fe-iron; Mn-Manganese; Ni-nickel. Data presented are referenced from Antonini et al., 1999.