1 Department of Environmental Health Science and Institute of Health and Environment, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
2 Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University, Seoul, Korea
3 Department of Occupational Health, Catholic University of Daegu, Gyeongsangbukdo, Korea
4 Department of Public Health, Keimyung University, Daegu, Korea
5 Department of Health Science, Changwon National University, Changwon, Korea
Cite this article: Ham, S., Yoon, C., Kim, S., Park, J., Kwon, O., Heo, J., Park, D., Choi, S., Kim, S., Ha, K. and Kim, W. (2017). Arsenic Exposure during Preventive Maintenance of an Ion Implanter in a Semiconductor Manufacturing Factory.
Aerosol Air Qual. Res.
17: 990-999. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2016.07.0310
HIGHLIGHTS
The PM workers in semiconductor industry were exposed higher than operators.
The exposure of PM workers to arsenic were depends on tasks and ion implanter types.
Arsenic exposure in ion implanter is a major chemical hazard.
PM works in semiconductor industry should be evaluated and controlled cautiously.
ABSTRACT
Workers in the semiconductor fabrication process may be exposed to higher levels of hazardous materials, such as arsenic, during preventive maintenance (PM) tasks than during the regular operation of the fabrication process. This study investigates the exposure to arsenic and other metals during PM tasks in the ion implantation process. Airborne arsenic samples and bulk samples were obtained during various ion implanter PM tasks in a semiconductor fabrication factory. The arithmetic mean (AM) and standard deviation (SD) of airborne arsenic in personal samples were 0.64 µg m–3 ± 0.92 µg m–3 (n = 9), and the highest level was 2.39 µg m–3 during medium-current ion implanter PM tasks. For area samples, the AM and SD were 0.42 µg m–3 ± 0.69 µg m–3 (n = 5) and the highest level was 1.79 µg m–3 during medium-current ion implanter PM tasks. Arsenic was also found in the bulk samples of debris produced during PM tasks. Other metals (Ag, Al, Cu, Pb, Cr, Sn, Mn, Ti, Fe, and W) were found, but at low levels, prompting few health concerns compared with those of arsenic. This study found that PM workers were exposed to airborne arsenic levels that differed significantly according to the type of ion implanter used.
Keywords: Semiconductor; Semiconductor; Arsenic; Arsenic; Preventive maintenance; Preventive maintenance; Ion implantation; Ion implantation; Industrial hygiene; Industrial hygiene
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