Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the sources of benzene detected in airborne of casting workplace where benzene was not used as raw material. We have identified benzene by GC/FID and GC/MSD. In this pilot test, small size iron chamber(diameter 30 cm, height 20 cm) was used. As the raw materials, new sand, recovered sand, and mixed casting sand(new sand + solidifying agent + organic resin + coating material) was tested, respectively. In the new sand benzene was not detected, but in the recovered sand and the mixed casting sand was detected. Xylenesulfonic acid(solidifying agent), one of the mixed casting sand ingredients was thought to product benzene by thermal decomposition above $400^{\circ}$..., but the other raw materials(organic resin and coating material) were thought not to product benzene. In this experiment, the most of benzene by thermal decomposition was produced within 1 hour after pouring the iron solution($1560^{\circ}$...) in small size iron chamber. When the mixed casting sand with coating material was used, the concentration of the produced benzene was average 2.91 ppm(range 1.98~3.72 ppm), and without coating material, benzene concentration was average 0.11 ppm(range 0.08~0.14 ppm).