Analysis of Solids Obtained by Evaporation of Card Room Humidifier Water

Abstract

Solid particles generated by evaporation of humidifier water contribute significantly to the total dust concentration in typical cotton processing environments. Water samples obtained from a model card room at North Carolina State University contain about 114 ppm of solids, 87% of which is inorganic. The presence of organic material is confirmed by titrating the water samples with a KMnO₄ solution. About 7% of the inorganic fraction is insoluble in HCl. Analysis of the soluble inorganic solids by atomic absorption spectroscppy revealed that the major elements detected are Ca, Na, K, Cu, Mg, Si, Al, Fe, and Zn. Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to analyze the insoluble portions and showed that the most abundant elements are the same as in the soluble portion, except that no Zn was detected. Photomicrographs of these insoluble solids show that these particles exist in aggregates, some of which have a crystal morphology. EDAX® analyses of the particles with crystalline morphology show that they have high concentrations of Si and Al.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

American Society for Testing and Materials , Manual on Industrial Water and Industrial Waste Water, A.S.T.M. #148-G, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1964.

Batra, S.K. , Fomes, R.E. , and Hersh, S.P. , Humidifiers as a Source of Respirable Dust in Textile Mills, Textile Res. J. 50, 454-455 (1980).

Bethea, R.M. , and Morey, P.R. , Effect of Operational Parameters on Vertical Elutriator Performance for Cotton Dust Sampling, in "Cotton Dust. Proceedings of a Topical Symposium ." Atlanta. Georgia. 1974, pp. 285-327.

Cussler, E.L. , and Featherstone . J. D. B., Demineralization of Porous Solids. Science 218, 1018-1019 (1981).

Dulka, J.J. , and Risby, T.H. , Ultratrace Metals in some Environmental and Biological Systems. Anal. Chem. 48, 640A-653A (1976).

Fed. ReRist. , Occupational Exposure to Cotton Dust. 43( 122), 27350-27463 (1978 ).

Fornes, R.E. , and Gilbert, R.D. , Evaluation of Cleaning and Washing Processes for Cotton Fiber. Part V: Characterization of Dust Samples, Textile Res. J. 50, 84-89 (1980).

Fornes, R.E. , Gilbert. R.D. , Hersh. S.P. , and Dzubay, T.G. , Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of Dust Collected using a Vertical Elutriator Cotton Dust Sampler, Textile Res. J. 50, 297-304 (1980).

Fornes, R.E. , Gilbert, R.D. , Hersh. S.P. , and Tucker, P.A. , Analysis of the Inorganic Content ofCotton Dust— A Review, to be published in "Proceedings of American Chemical Society," Division of Chemical Health and Safety, April 1, 1981.

10.

Fornes, R.E. , Gilbert, R.D. , and Sasser. P. E., Inorganic Content of Cotton Dusts, Trash and Bracts, Textile Res. J. 46, 738-742 ( 1976).

11.

Griffin. A.C. , Hatcher, J.D. , and Cocke, J.B. , Cardroom Dust Levels and Responses of Humans to Raw Cotton Cleaned by Shirley Analyzer, Textile Res. J. 47, 129-131 (1977).

12.

Hersh, S.P. , Rochow, T.G. , Tucker, P.A. , and Farwell, F.W. , Mineralogy of the Airborne Dust Collected in a Cotton Card Room, Textile Res J. 46(10), 743-747 (1976).

13.

Mittal, D.K. , Fornes, R.E. , Gilbert. R.D. , and Sasser, P.E. , Chemical Composition of Cotton Dusts. Part I: Analyses of Cotton Plant Parts, Gin Trash and Weed Samples, Textile Res. J. 49, 364-368 (1979).

14.

Mittal, D.K. , Gilbert, R.D. , Fornes, R.E. , Hersh, S.P. , and Sasser, P.E. , Chemical Composition of Cotton Dusts, Part II: Analyses of Samples Collected in a Model Card Room, Textile Res. J. 49, 389-394 (1979).

15.

Roberts, E.C. , Rossano, A.J. , Jr., and McKay , D.L. , False Elevation of Cotton Dust Levels by Atomized Water Solids, Textile Res. J. 50, 699-700 (1980).

16.

Schofner, F.M. , Miller, A.C. , and Kreikebaum , G. , Measurement and Control on Non-Cotton Dust Contributions in the Cotton Processing Workplace, in "Proceedings of Symposium on Cotton Dust Sampling, Monitoring and Control," American Society of Mechanical Engineers , Atlanta, Georgia, 1980.

17.

Wakelyn, P.J. , Greenblatt, G.A. , Brown, D.F. , and Tripp, V.W. , Chemical Properties of Cotton Dust, Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 37, 22-31 (1976).