Resuspension of inhalable particles from clothing: A manikin-based chamber study

Abstract

Clothing plays a significant role in facilitating inhalation exposure to particulate matter (PM). Nevertheless, there is a lack of studies investigating PM resuspension from clothing. This study aims to quantify size-resolved PM resuspension rate (RR) from clothing while exploring the effects of factors influencing this process. In a controlled chamber, we deposited Arizona Test Dust on a seated and clothed thermal manikin. The seated manikin was then placed in a resuspension chamber to perform arm movements using a consistent test mechanism. We evaluated the size-resolved resuspension rates in the diameter range 0.3–10 μm as a function of long-sleeve clothing type (cotton shirts vs. polyacrylic sweaters), relative humidity (RH) (35 vs. 70 %), dust loading (204 vs. 321 mg/m2), and movement intensity (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 Hz). The short-term PM10 concentration in the breathing zone was 1.25 times higher than in the bulk air during resuspension. The size-dependent RR varied between 0.01 h−1 and 0.06 h−1. Higher RR was associated with higher movement intensity and dust loading on clothing, while a small dependence was found on clothing type and RH. The results offer a valuable dataset for enhancing current inhalation exposure models related to indoor aerosols and for developing targeted interventions to reduce exposure to particles associated with clothing.