Additional chemistry would also be required to differentiate between inorganic and organic arsenic. However, to control costs during paint removal, it is reasonable to assume most of the total arsenic to be the inorganic form. In Table 1, a listing is provided of the exposure limits for each of the standards. None of the analytical methods differentiate between fumes, dust, or the size of the dust. This is significant, since the most serious health effects associated with these metals are caused by exposure to the fumes.
Fumes are very small recondensed particles, which have a very small particle size.
Due to their size, they are more hazardous because they remain airborne for longer periods, penetrate more deeply, and provide greater surface area for a given mass of material. The dust particles created during industrial painting are of varying sizes. Many of these particles are small and may behave like air, while others may be much larger and behave much like a stone when airborne. Thus, sampling methods should be employed which minimize mechanical entrainment of large paint chips in the cassette.