Speciation of fluorine in the work environment

Complete text of publication follows. Most compounds of the elements can occur in different physical states, namely solid, gas, liquid, vapour or aerosol. Each of these states can influence or determine the nature of exposure, the uptake or absorption and the toxicological consequences. Many workplace and atmospheric aerosols are composed of a complex mixture of chemical compounds. Since a number of factors are involved in determining toxicological responses to the chemical exposure this presentation will illustrate how modern technology used in aerosol measurement and characterisation can provide more detailed information about the specific particle-size distribution, time-resolved concentration monitoring of particle-size fractions, chemical composition and morphological characteristics of workroom atmospheres. Such knowledge would improve our understanding of the basis for the reported differential health risks. The determinant factors and their measurements judged to be important in the understanding and rationalization of the biological chemistry and toxicity of inorganic compounds of fluorine with illustrations from primary aluminium production will be discussed.