3
"It Isn't Easy Being Green" Stricter environmental regulations in the U.S. and Europe open up opportunities for hexavalent chromium alternatives and equipment that can minimize workplace exposure. By Claudia M. Caruana A lthough recent OSHA rulings requiring strin- gent reductions of hexavalent chromium in the American workplace don't officially kick in until 2010, manufacturers already are consider- ing alternatives to this metal processing workhorse. Some, in fact, are said to be equal to or better. As Kermit the Frog was fond of saying, "It isn't easy being green," and members of the metal finishing business are feeling like Kermit these days and grum- bling loudly. More stringent OSHA regulations reduc- ing hexavalent chromium in the workplace are forcing them to look elsewhere, and it is no secret that the best alternative for the application can be daunting. Circle 031 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers Environmentalists and others are applauding the decision and noting that there has not been a reduc- tion in permissble exposure levels since 1943. Several manufacturers contacted for this article noted that they already have been looking toward what Europeans are doing as the Rolls (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) standard going into effect in July, requiring that no hexavalent chromium be used in the workplace. Meanwhile, others have made strong moves to modify or change their coat- ing and plating practices. It actually may be less costly to use alternatives than to modify current processes, experts say. Weber UltrasonicsUnderstands... It takes more than good components to meet the complex requirements of Ultrasonicstoday. Developmentand production of advanced ultrasonic technology for cleaning, welding and special applications is our passion. Make use of more than 30 years experience in designing and manufacturing innovative ultrasonic components. Weber Ultrasonics USA's new line of Digital High-frequency/ Multi-frequency generators and revolutionary Sonopush ® HD transducers again set the industry standard for ultrasonic technology. Let Weber Ultrasonics show you technology and quality you cannot afford to be without. Call or visit our website today for a free consultation... Ultiaio~nici Weber Ultrasonics USA Phone: (248) 620 5142 RO.Box840 Fax: (248)6205143 ~ V ' ~ Clarkston, MI48347-0840 www.weber-ultrasonics.us Circle 062 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing,com/advertisers 44 www.metalfinishing.com

‘It Isn't easy being green’

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: ‘It Isn't easy being green’

"It Isn't Easy Being Green" Stricter environmental regulations in the U.S. and Europe open up opportunities for hexavalent chromium alternatives and equipment that can minimize workplace exposure. B y C l a u d i a M. C a r u a n a

A l though recent OSHA rulings requiring strin- gent reductions of hexavalent chromium in the American workplace don't officially kick

in until 2010, manufacturers already are consider- ing alternatives to this metal processing workhorse. Some, in fact, are said to be equal to or better.

As Kermit the Frog was fond of saying, "It isn't easy being green," and members of the metal finishing business are feeling like Kermit these days and grum- bling loudly. More stringent OSHA regulations reduc- ing hexavalent chromium in the workplace are forcing them to look elsewhere, and it is no secret that the best alternative for the application can be daunting.

Circle 031 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers

Environmentalists and others are applauding the decision and noting that there has not been a reduc- tion in permissble exposure levels since 1943.

Several manufac turers contacted for this article noted tha t they already have been looking toward what Europeans are doing as the Rolls (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) s tandard going into effect in July, requiring that no hexavalent chromium be used in the workplace. Meanwhile, others have made strong moves to modify or change their coat- ing and plating practices.

It actually may be less costly to use alternatives than to modify current processes, experts say.

Weber Ultrasonics Understands... It takes more than good components to meet the complex requirements of Ultrasonics today.

Development and production of advanced ultrasonic technology for cleaning, welding and special applications is our passion. Make use of more than 30 years experience in designing and manufacturing innovative ultrasonic components.

Weber Ultrasonics USA's new line of Digital High-frequency/ Multi-frequency generators and revolutionary Sonopush ® HD transducers again set the industry standard for ultrasonic technology. Let Weber Ultrasonics show you technology and quality you cannot afford to be without.

Call or visit our website today for a free consultation...

Ultiaio~nici Weber Ultrasonics USA Phone: (248) 620 5142 RO. Box840 Fax: (248)6205143 ~ V ' ~ Clarkston, MI48347-0840 www.weber-ultrasonics.us

Circle 062 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing,com/advertisers

44 w w w . m e t a l f i n i s h i n g . c o m

Page 2: ‘It Isn't easy being green’

~¢~;,~:~ ::: :: :: ::: ::~: • : I ~ : 4 [ d : I ; { , ] ~';I =IF±! k i =1 ; t ,~ T±~ i ira :~

Actually, new technology for replacing hexavalent chromium has been in the works for a while, even dating to the 1950s when it was largely was ignored. And few people forget Erin Brockovich's role in bringing the issue of dangers of hexavalent chromi- um to the attention of Americans.

One American company already selling its tech- nology is Nevada-based Metalist International, Inc. It manufactures Metalast TCP-HF, which originally was developed and patented by the U.S. Department of Defense and Navy after existing coating replace- ments were not considered acceptable.

According to Metalist International's Gregg Semas, "as a result of the European Union directive RollS, which bans the use of hexavalent chromium in elec- tronics by July 1 2006, M/A Com mandated that suit- able, effective replacements be found wherever possi- ble for environmental, health and economic reasons. M/A Corn, a division of Tyco, released an article detail- ing their efforts to find this replacement for hexava- lent chromium coatings of their parts."

One supplier actively selling its technology overseas is Israeli-based FriCSo. At present, its technology is being field-tested and piloted in U.S. companies for

mechanical parts for various industries, OEMs, Tier 1- 3 suppliers, heavy duty and hydraulic equipment.

According to Lior Ben-Tsur, the main advantages of FriCSo technology over the alternative is improv- ing COF (coefficient of friction) of mechanical parts, and using existing machines in production lines at a fraction of cost and time compared to existing coat- ings and surface treatments.

He adds that the FriCSo process "creates a 'revo- lution' in bringing a high level of surface protection that fits mass-production costs."

FriCSo says it started as a technology incubator that conducted tribology research (with financing support of Israel's chief scientist of the Ministry of Industry and Trade). Two years ago, private investors and VC invested in the company and fun- neled the knowledge into commercial applications in the automotive and heavy industries.

M E A S U R I N G Y O U R P E L F O R C H R O M E The Industrial Hygiene Laboratory of St. Paul Travelers says it has developed a state-of-the-art instrument that can help manufacturers address OSHA's proposed lowering of the Permissible

EISENMANN E t S E N M A N N C o r p o r a t i o n

Cn/sta] Lake, I l l ino is P: 8 1 5 . 4 5 5 . 4 1 0 0 w w w . e i s e n m a n n . c o m

Circle 0 1 3 on reader in fo rmat ion card or go to w w w . m e t a l f i n i s h i n g . c o m / a d v e r t i s e r s

May 2006 45

Page 3: ‘It Isn't easy being green’

Exposure Limit (PEL) for hexavalent chromium (CrVI).

Hexavalent chromium (CrVI) is a human carcino- gen for which OSHA has proposed a significant reduction in the PEL from the current standard. The new Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) has enabled the Industrial Hygiene Laboratory to develop a method for the analysis of CrVI below OSHA's proposed PEL.

Marcel Baril, laboratory director at St. Paul Travelers, says current methods of detecting con- taminants are far less sensitive and require much more time to carry out. The ICP-MS can simultane- ously measure most elements in the periodic table at extremely low levels, including toxic metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium and beryllium. In addition to its greater sensitivity, the ICP-MS, according to its developers, permits rapid analysis of multiple elements in a mat ter of minutes, where previous technology required lengthy, labor-inten- sive serial analysis.

The chromium VI speciation method works based on a combination of the separation of the Cr species using ion chromatography (IC) together with analy-

sis of separated species using ICP-MS. Samples are injected onto the Dionex ion exchange separator (column) and separated using the OSHA recom- mended mobile phase. Concentration of chromium is determined by Thermo Electron ICP-MS Series II using 52 and 53 chromium isotopes.

ICP-MS is well known for its excellent sensitivi- ty; it is possible to analyze chromium VI in a water matrix down to sub ppb levels. ICP-MS has the ability to look at various isotopes of the same metal; this is very useful for detection of possible interferences.

EPA, in its method 3060A, states that analytical techniques such as IC with inductively coupled plas- m a - m a s s spectrometric (ICP-MS) detection, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ICP-MS detection, capillary electrophoresis (CE) with ICP-MS detection, etc. may be utilized once performance effectiveness has been validated.

Claudia M. Caruana, a N e w York-based writer, can be reached at ccaruana29@hotmai l , com. m f

Circle 014 on reader i n f o r m a t i o n card or go to w w w . m e t a l f i n i s h i n g . c o m / a d v e r t i s e r s

46 www.metalfinishing.com