This study was conducted to investigate the benzene exposure levels in coal chemical and petrochemical refining industries during BTX turnaround (TA) processes where benzene was being produced. Three ...companies producing benzene were selected, one coal chemical and two petrochemical industries. TA processes were classified into three stages: shut down, maintenance, and start up. Data was analyzed by classifying the refining method into 2 groups (Petrochemistry, Coal chemistry) for 823 workers. Comparing the data from petrochemical industries with data from a coal chemical refining industry, while benzene concentration levels of long-term samples during TA were not statistically different (p> 0.05), those levels of short-term samples were significantly different (p< 0.001). About 4.79 % of data in petrochemical industries exceed the occupational exposure limits (OELs) of benzene, 1 ppm. In a coal refining methods, about 15.7% exceeded the benzene OELs. The benzene concentrations in maintenance and start up stage of TA for petrochemical refineries were higher than those in a coal chemical refinery (p <0.01). These findings suggest that the coal chemical refining site requires more stringent work practice controls compare to petrochemical refining sites during TA processes. Personal protective equipments including organic respirators should be used by TA workers to protect them from benzene overexposure.
In this study, we have fabricated a fiber-optic radiation sensor using an organic scintillator for high energy electron beam therapy. The intensities of scintillating light from a fiber-optic ...radiation sensor are measured with different field size, electron beam energy and monitor unit of a clinical linear accelerator. To obtain percent depth dose(PDD), the amount of scintillating light is measured at different depth of polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA) phantom. Also the intensity of Cerenkov light is measured and characterized as a function of incident angle of electron beam and a subtraction method is investigated using a background optical fiber to remove a Cerenkov light.
