Dust and fume emissions generated during the smelting process are controlled by means of wet scrubbers, cyclones and bag filters of relatively high removal efficiency. Ferrochromium alloys are produced from pyrometallurgical reduction processes of chromite ore. Generated results clearly elucidate that neither the low released concentrations of metals primarily as a result of protective and poorly soluble surface oxides, nor non-bioavailable chromium complexes, nor the particles themselves of occupational relevance induced significant acute toxic response, with exception of DNA damage from stainless steel.Īssessment of respiratory effects induced by iron- and chromium-based particles are relevant for occupational exposure scenarios in industrial settings such as ferrochromium production sites.

It is evident that particle and alloy characteristics such as particle size and surface composition are important aspects to consider when assessing particle toxicity and metal release from alloy particles compared to pure metal particles. None of the particles revealed any significant cytotoxicity in terms of cell death after 24 h exposure. Fine-sized particles of stainless steel caused however DNA damage, measured with the comet assay after 4 h exposure. Cr 2O 3 particles showed hemolytic activity, but none of the alloy particles did. Cr was predominantly released as Cr(III) from all particles investigated and was strongly complexed by organic species of ALF. Due to a surface oxide with less protective properties, significantly more iron was released from pure iron particles compared with the alloys. Released elements were neither proportional to the bulk nor to the surface composition after the investigated 168 hours of exposure. Chromium, iron and nickel were released to very low extent from all alloy particles, and from particles of Cr due to the presence of a Cr(III)-rich protective surface oxide. These effects were evident in artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF) of pH 4.5 containing complexing agents, but not in neutral or weakly alkaline biological media. The amount of released metals normalized to the particle surface area increased with decreasing particle size for all alloy particles, whereas the opposite situation was valid for particles of the pure metals. This was done by assessing the extent and speciation of released metals in synthetic biological medium and by analyzing particle reactivity and toxicity towards cultured human lung cells (A549). ferrochromium (FeCr), ferrosiliconchromium (FeSiCr), stainless steel (316L), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), and chromium(III)oxide (Cr 2O 3), in different size fractions using in vitro methods. The aim of this study was to assess potential health hazards induced by inhalation of different well-characterized iron- and chromium-based particles, i.e. Production of ferrochromium alloys (FeCr), master alloys for stainless steel manufacture, involves casting and crushing processes where particles inevitably become airborne and potentially inhaled.

Iron chromium oxide