Toxicology and occupational hazards of new materials and processes in metal surface treatment, powder metallurgy, technical ceramics, and fiber-reinforced plastics.

Many new materials and processes are about to find their way from the research laboratory into industry. The present paper describes some of these processes and provides an overview of possible occupational hazards and a list of chemicals used or produced in the processes. The technological areas that are considered are metal surface treatment (ion implantation, physical and chemical vapor deposition, plasma spraying), powder metallurgy, advanced technical ceramics, and fiber-reinforced plastics.