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Dust entry

Bleached pulp dust

Particulate generated during bleached wood-pulp and paper-mill operations.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

eye irritationskin irritationcontaminant exposure concernrespiratory exposure concern

Evidence

NIOSH identified bleached pulp mist or dust as a potential inhalation-exposure context in pulp and paper mills and evaluated paper dust as an indicator for possible contaminants adhering to suspended particles.

Source: pdf ↗ · saved source
page 9 · Paper Dust; Industrial Hygiene · 1–2
The NIOSH REL for cellulose (paper dust) is 10 mg/m3 (total dust) and 5 mg/m3 (respirable dust) as a full-shift time-weighted average. The REL is based on eye and skin irritation. ... Because dioxins and furans have very low vapor pressures, most respiratory exposures would probably occur as a result of inhalation of contaminated paper dust. Work areas with the highest concentrations of airborne paper dust (and to a lesser extent, bleached pulp mist or dust) would likely have the greatest potential for inhalation exposure to PCDDs and PCDFs.

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