PERSPEC: A Personal Sampler with Size Characterization Capabilities

Abstract

The recommendations recently proposed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) on particle-size definitions have stressed the importance of gathering information on a larger size interval than previously used and, specifically, in three size fractions defined by smooth collection efficiency curves with 50% cut-points at 10 µm and 3.5 µm. A personal sampler is proposed based on the inertial size separation of airborne particles and on the subsequent deposition on a 47- or 50-mm diameter membrane filter. The sampler operates with a standard rechargeable battery personal pump in a sealed circuit with a suction flow rate of 4 Lpm through the filter. Of this, 2 Lpm are recirculated into the inlet nozzle on the axis as a filtered air core of 4-mm diameter. A flow rate of 2 Lpm of external air is drawn through the surrounding ring of equal area. While proceeding through the nozzle, larger particles penetrate deeper into the clean ...