© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society. Original Article Elemental Carbon and Nitrogen Dioxide as Markers of Exposure to Diesel Exhaust in Selected Norwegian Industries Balázs Berlinger 1 * , , Dag G. Ellingsen 1 , Natalya Romanova 2 , Grete Friisk 1 , Hanne Line Daae 1 , Stephan Weinbruch 1,3 , Nils Petter Skaugset 1 and Yngvar Thomassen 1 1 Department of Chemical and Biological Work Environment, National Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 5330, N-0304 Oslo, Norway; 2 North-West Public Health Research Centre, 2nd Sovetskaya st., 193036 St. Petersburg, Russia; 3 Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technical University Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 9, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +47 23195353; E-mail: balazs.berlinger@stami.no Submitted 7 June 2018; revised 14 December 2018; editorial decision 18 December 2018; revised version accepted 21 December 2018. Abstract Elemental carbon (EC) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) in air as markers for diesel exhaust (DE) emission exposure were measured in selected work environments in Norway where diesel-powered engines are in use.Two hundred and ninety personal full-shift air samples were collected in primary aluminium production, underground and open-pit mining, road tunnel fnishing, transport of ore, and among airport baggage handlers. EC was determined in the samples by a thermo-optical method, while NO 2 was determined by ion chromatography. Highest EC air concentrations (geometric mean, GM) were found in aluminium smelters (GM = 45.5 μg m −3 ) followed by road tunnel fnishing (GM = 37.8 μg m −3 ) and underground mining activities (GM = 18.9 μg m −3 ). Low EC air concentrations were measured for baggage handling at an international airport (GM = 2.7 μg m −3 ) and in an open-pit mine (GM = 1.2 μg m −3 ). Air concentrations of NO 2 were similar in road tunnel fnishing (GM = 128 μg m −3 ) and underground mining (GM = 108 μg m −3 ). Lower NO 2 values were observed in open-pit mining (GM = 50 μg m −3 ), at the airport (GM = 37 μg m −3 ), and in the aluminium smelters (GM = 27 μg m −3 ). Highly significant (P < 0.001) positive correlations between NO 2 and EC air concentrations in underground mining (r = 0.54) and road tunnel fnishing (r = 0.71) indicate a common source of these pollutants. NO 2 and EC were also correlated (P < 0.01) positively at the airport. However, due to the complex air chemistry and a potential contribution of various sources, the correlation between EC and NO 2 cannot be regarded as unambiguous hint for a common source. The association between EC and NO 2 was not of statistical signifcance in open-pit mining. In the aluminium smelters, EC and NO 2 were negatively correlated, although not reaching statistical signifcance. The substantial Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 2019, Vol. 63, No. 3, 349–358 doi: 10.1093/annweh/wxy112 Original Article Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/63/3/349/5304581 by guest on 13 July 2022