Particulate Matters Assessment Among Red Brick Workers in Nongkinphen Subdistrict Warinchamrap District Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand

Abstract

        The objective of this study was to investigate the concentration of dust generated by the brick-making process in Moo 2 and Moo 6 Nongkinplane subdistrict, Warinchamrab district, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The industrial hygienic dust samples were collected from 20 brick workers for personal sampling, 10 persons per community and 12 area samples, 6 samples per community for total dust measurement. The measurement point was 3 kms. Radius around the brick factory which consider to sensitive receptor consist of temples schools, the density of communities, land used or activities patterns in each area, geographic location and climate especially local wind direction in the past 30 years. The study indicated that the concentration of dust in three seasonal as summer, rainy and winter showed respirable dust ranged in between 0.00-1.22 mg/m³, 1.05-2.50 mg/m³ and 4.30-12.21 mg/m³ respectively. The total dust ranged in between 0.00-1.75 mg/m³, 0.97-2.35 mg/m³ and 1.50-4.50 mg/m³ respectively. The concentration of dust in all three seasons was on standard. However, it was found that dust concentration was increased in the winter, so management and relevant agencies should consider and establish management plan for dust exposure among red brick workers during this season.