Exposure to low molecular polyamines during road paving

Abstract

Fatty amine wetting agents are used to increase adhesion in bitumen emulsions used in road paving, but commercial fatty amine products are contaminated with low molecular polyamines and alkanol polyamines which are released from the hot bitumen during paving. Polyamines and alkanol polyamines are known to cause eye and respiratory tract irritation and skin sensitization. The exposure of road pavers to ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, hydroxyethylethylenediamine, hydroxyethyldiethylenetriamine, monoethanolamine and diethanolamine was studied, since most of these compounds were found in the products used. Personal and static air sampling was performed during road paving. A highly sensitive measurement technique utilizing naphthylisothiocyanate-coated sorbents and filters was used. Exposure was found to be in the range < 0.02-0.5 mg m-3, as total concentration of low molecular polyamines and alkanol polyamines. Since the polyamines and alkanol polyamines in question are highly irritating they may contribute to the symptoms experienced by the road pavers.