Table 6.

Metal exposure of recycling workers (mg/m³) in five german e-waste recycling sheltered workshops with reference to occupational exposure limits (OEL) in the breathing air and in biological material

Metal	Recycling workers Air monitoring, personal and stationary sampling			Recycling workers Biomonitoring
	Highest concentration [mg/m3]	Limit value [mg/m3]	Limit value (type)	95.th- percentile	Limit value [µg/L] *[µg/g creatinine]	Limit value (type)
Aluminium	0.085 (Inh.)	10 (Inh.)	AGW (general dust limit)	9.77	50*	BGW
	0.0021 (Resp.)	1.25 (Resp.)	AGW (general dust limit)
Antimony	0.00034 (Inh.)	0.5 (Inh.)	OEL (Austria)	2.03	0.2	BAR
	0.00088 (Resp.)
Arsenic	0.000069 (Inh.)	0.00083 (Inh.)	AC	9.65	50	BLW
	0.000029 (Resp.)
Beryllium	0.0000017	0.00014 (Inh.)
0.00006 (Resp.)	AGW	0.05	0.05	BAR
Cadmium	0.00023 (Inh.)			1.27	0.8	BAR
	0.0000094 (Resp.)	0.16 (Resp.)	AC
Chromium	0.0014 (Inh.)	2 (Inh.)	AGW	0.25	0.6*	BAR
	0.00009 (Resp.)
Cobalt	0.00031 (Inh.)			0.5	35	BLW
	0.000024 (Resp.)	0.005 (Resp.)	AC
Nickel	0.0019 (Inh.)		AGW	2.96	3	BAR
	0.000088 (Resp.)	0.03 (Resp.)
Mercury	0.0033	0.02	AGW	2.01	25*	BGW

The results of the air measurements (maximum concentrations) are placed in the context of German OELs for the inhalable (Inh.) or respirable (Resp.) dust fraction as time-weighted average (TWA) 8 h/shift (German: Arbeitsplatzgrenzwerte, AGW). Air measurements of carcinogenic metals are placed in the context of risk based german exposure levels (acceptable concentrations (AC)). The results of biomonitoring measurements (95.th percentile) are placed in the context of German biological limits and other reference values. These are biological limit values (German: Biologischer Grenzwert, BGW) the biological working substance reference values (German: Biologischer Arbeitsstoffreferenzwert, BAR) and biological guideline values (German: Biologischer Leitwert, BLW). See “Materials and methods” section for a detailed description of OELs and other reference values in this table