Diesel Particulate Matter: Monitoring and Control Improves Safety and Air Quality

Abstract

Diesel-powered equipment is an essential component of all underground mining operations as it offers easy maneuverability in confined mine openings. However, acute and/or continuous exposure to diesel engine exhaust can cause serious health issues, including lung cancer, reduced lung capacity, respiratory diseases, and heart disease. Diesel particulate matter (DPM) regulations are relatively new in the United States mining industry and are based on the mineral commodity with two main standards-one for coal and one for metal-nonmetal. The NIOSH 5040 method is the standard for measuring shift average-based DPM exposure, although processing often takes weeks. A number of real-time monitors are now available that can estimate DPM concentrations in mines. Due to the reported adverse health effects of DPM exposure, options to treat, control, and reduce DPM emission in mines have become a main area of interest. Fortunately, several control technologies and strategies that can efficiently reduce miners' DPM exposure are now available to the mining industry.

Department(s)

Mining Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Diesel particulate matter (DPM); DPM control; NIOSH 5040 method; Permissible exposure limit (PEL); Real-time DPM monitoring; US DPM regulations

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

978-008101288-8;978-008101301-4

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2024 Elsevier, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2018

Link to Full Text

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