Evaluación de los riesgos químicos por inhalación de sustancias utilizadas en la industria camaronera

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the chemical risks due to inhalation of substances in the shrimp sector using specialized equipment to measure dusts and gases present in work facilitie. The main objective was to determine the concentrations of chemical substances to understand the risk levels to which workers are exposed, depending on their job positions. Measurements were taken at the following shrimp farming companies: Camagrommar in Churete, Guayas, and Pesquera San Miguel and Biocascajal in Pagua, El Oro. To measure concentrations of gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), a PCE-COG 10 gas meter was used, with six repetitions and a sixty-second interval between each repetition at each company. For measuring particulate matter, the TemTop PDM531 equipment was used, which analyzes particles in sizes PM 2.5 and PM 10, with three measurements at each sampling point and sixty-second intervals between measurements. In Camagrommar, six sampling points were considered: pumping stations 1 and 2, aerators, mechanical workshop, dining area, and warehouse. In Pesquera San Miguel and Biocascajal, eight points were measured: pumping stations 1 and 2, feeder, food preparation area, mechanical workshop, dining area, warehouse, and carpentry.The results showed that particulate matter concentrations in Camagrommar ranged from 0.0265 – 0.083 mg/m³ for PM 2.5 and 0.0683 – 0.4999 mg/m³ for PM 10. At Pesquera San Miguel and Biocascajal, concentrations ranged from 0.0625 – 1.3245 mg/m³ for PM 10 and 0.0302 – 0.6158 mg/m³ for PM 2.5. All these values were well below the exposure limit of 3 mg/m³ set by (INSHT - 2018). Regarding gases, in Camagrommar, CO concentrations ranged from 0.5 – 6.7 ppm and CO2 concentrations from 444.5 – 555.8 ppm. In Pesquera San Miguel and Biocascajal, CO values ranged from 2.5 – 7.8 ppm and CO2 values from 440.2 – 828.2 ppm. All values remained below the exposure limits of 25 ppm for CO and 5000 ppm for CO2, according to (INSHT - 2018). The results indicate that the levels of gas and particulate matter concentrations in the assessed companies remained within permissible parameters, suggesting that the work environments are under acceptable conditions. It is hoped that the obtained results will serve as a guide for future shrimp farming companies, providing them with quantitative data on the levels at which they should operate with these chemical substances, thus helping them stay within legal limits.