Developing methodology for evaluating surface contaminations: metrological aspects and transfer by contact.

For a long time, evaluation of exposure to chemical compounds was limited to measuring merely the volatile fraction of the compounds and thus to exposure by inhalation. However, the use of semi-volatile products and other particular substances has developed in numerous sectors of industry, facilitating direct or indirect cutaneous exposure by deposition on surfaces and objects.

It is becoming necessary to propose methods of quantitatively evaluating surface contaminations in view of the growing demand for such evaluations, mainly in the field of industrial hygiene. The increasing numbers of industrial processes are raising legitimate questions about exposure of workers to chemical compounds. In spite of their emergence in recent years, the surface sampling methods proposed in the literature are highly targeted and are difficult to transpose to other compounds. Furthermore, currently, this field of evaluation is not sufficiently structured. This is leading to a lack of harmonisation and of standardisation of the methods used and is making comparisons between studies difficult or indeed causing such comparisons to lack rigour.

The aim of this study is to address and to improve comprehension of the topic of evaluating the contamination of surfaces by deposition of atmospheric pollutants. The study, which will include three main avenues for investigation, will be essentially focused on the development of metrological and methodological tools. A first part will concern studying parameters that potentially influence the effectiveness of surface sampling. The second part of the study will concern the development of a metrological tool, supplementary to conventional surface sampling, making it possible to obtain standardised information on deposition kinetics. Finally, the last part will consist of an exploratory experimental study aimed at evaluating transfer by contact from contaminated surfaces to workers.

Planned dissemination:
- guide to developing a surface sampling method
- scientific publication
- presentations targeted on field OSH specialists.