MEASUREMENT OF AZODICARBONAMIDE IN WORKROOM AIR IN THE PLASTICS PROCESSING INDUSTRY

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Abstract
Azodicarbonamide (AC) is an additive used as a blowing agent for plastics and rubber. It is a potent pulmonary sensitizer and may also cause allergic dermatitis. This report describes a spectrophotometric method for its analysis in samples of workplace air. The analytical procedure is based on conversion of AC to hydrazine which is then reacted with 4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde to form aldazine. The absorbance of the derivative is measured by a spectrophotometer at 460 nm. Air sampling is performed with glass fibre filters. The detection limit for AC is 0.8 μg ml −1 in solution and 0.001 mg m −3 for air samples (4 m 3 ). Measurements of airborne AC were made in plastics processing plants. AC was found at all the worksites studied, at concentrations ranging from 0.002 to 17.5 mg m −3 . No threshold limit values have been issued for AC. The reported method has particular value for the evaluation of the work environment of workers with suspected sensitization.