114 Development of High Volume Personal Aerosol Samplers

Abstract

Abstract The tendency for decreasing a series of occupational exposure limit values is seen the last years. Especially metal species are linked to a larger health effect in latest toxicological assessments. These changes imply further reductions of the limits of quantification for both the sampling and analysis methods. The personal sampling methods (as a set of sampler, filter and pump) used today comprise air flows up to 10 l/min. In order to achieve higher amounts of sampled aerosols an airflow of 20 l/min is aimed for a new set of samplers for the inhalable and respirable dust fraction. This also enables shorter sampling times than a full shift, e.g. task based exposure assessment. A small set of prototypes was designed to go into testing. A filter size of 47 mm was chosen to realise a higher dust load and an acceptable pressure drop for a personal air sampling pump. Such a pump was recently developed and is now available. Samplers for the inhalable fraction with different numbers and orientation of orifices are tested in a calm air dust chamber and a wind tunnel according to the test standard EN 13205 in the particle size range up to 100 µm. A cyclone design according to the GK family of cyclones (Mesalabs) was chosen to meet the respirable convention. First test results will be shown, either in comparison with validated samplers or in terms of the sampling efficiency in dependence of the aerodynamic diameter.