Air Sampling Pump Research Articles

Acute Respiratory Effects and Endotoxin Exposure During Wheat Harvest in Northeastern Colorado

Acute cross-shift respiratory changes were evaluated for workers at 25 farms in northeastern Colorado during the summer of 1994 wheat harvest. Information on workers' respiratory health, past occupational exposures, and smoking status was obtained. Each worker was asked to rank eight acute symptoms before he or she began harvest work for the day. Spirometry was also performed before work began. Each participant wore a high-flow personal air sampling pump for the full shift. At the end of the workshift, spirometry and ranking of the eight acute symptoms were conducted again. Total dust exposure was determined gravimetrically. Total endotoxin was measured by the Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. The 98 harvest workers included in the study ranged in age from 18 to 80. Ten percent of the workers had moderate airway obstruction, as indicated by the pre-shift spirometry test results. Fifty percent of the workers were current or ex-smokers. Despite an unusually poor harvest, total dust exposures ranged from 0.09 to 15.33 mg/m3 (geometric mean 0.83 mg/m3), with 8 percent of workers exposed above the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists® (ACGIH®) threshold limit value® (TLV®) of 4 mg/m3. Total endotoxin exposures ranged from 4.4 to 744.4 EU/m3 (geometric mean 54.2 EU/m3), with 33 percent of workers exposed above 90 EU/m3, the level suggested as a threshold for acute mucous membrane irritation and pulmonary change among cotton workers. Sixty percent of workers experienced a cross-shift change in at least one respiratory symptom. The respiratory index (sum of cross-shift changes in the eight acute respiratory symptoms) was significantly correlated with both total dust and endotoxin exposure. Cross-shift changes in the spirometric variables were associated with smoking status, age, presence of airway obstruction, and history of chronic respiratory symptoms, but not with dust or endotoxin expo sure. Peak expiratory flow rate was found to decrease over the workshift in a manner similar to that experienced by cotton workers.

Acute respiratory effects and endotoxin exposure during wheat harvest in Northeastern Colorado.

Acute cross-shift respiratory changes were evaluated for workers at 25 farms in northeastern Colorado during the summer of 1994 wheat harvest. Information on workers' respiratory health, past occupational exposures, and smoking status was obtained. Each worker was asked to rank eight acute symptoms before he or she began harvest work for the day. Spirometry was also performed before work began. Each participant wore a high-flow personal air sampling pump for the full shift. At the end of the workshift, spirometry and ranking of the eight acute symptoms were conducted again. Total dust exposure was determined gravimetrically. Total endotoxin was measured by the Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. The 98 harvest workers included in the study ranged in age from 18 to 80. Ten percent of the workers had moderate airway obstruction, as indicated by the pre-shift spirometry test results. Fifty percent of the workers were current or ex-smokers. Despite an unusually poor harvest, total dust exposures ranged from 0.09 to 15.33 mg/m3 (geometric mean 0.83 mg/m3), with 8 percent of workers exposed above the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) of 4 mg/m3. Total endotoxin exposures ranged from 4.4 to 744.4 EU/m3 (geometric mean 54.2 EU/m3), with 33 percent of workers exposed above 90 EU/m3, the level suggested as a threshold for acute mucous membrane irritation and pulmonary change among cotton workers. Sixty percent of workers experienced a cross-shift change in at least one respiratory symptom. The respiratory index (sum of cross-shift changes in the eight acute respiratory symptoms) was significantly correlated with both total dust and endotoxin exposure. Cross-shift changes in the spirometric variables were associated with smoking status, age, presence of airway obstruction, and history of chronic respiratory symptoms, but not with dust or endotoxin exposure. Peak expiratory flow rate was found to decrease over the workshift in a manner similar to that experienced by cotton workers.

A Tethered Balloon Air Sampling System for Determining the Vertical Distribution of Atmospheric Tracers

A lightweight, constant–flow air sampling pump has been adapted for attaching to a balloon tether line for the vertical sampling of atmospheric perfluorocarbon tracers. Constant flow was maintained up to an altitude of 6,250 m. The pump design, construction, and sampling technique are described. Typical vertical concentration results obtained during a perfluorocarbon tracer release experiment are presented.

5481851 Mehtod and apparatus for charging containers with hazardous materials

An device for monitoring workplace air comprises a monitor cell comprising a base and a removable assembly. The removable assembly comprises (1) a flat, electrically insulating substrate having a first surface, (2) an electrolyte cell having an anode and a cathode disposed on the first surface, the anode and cathode spaced apart to define a controlled volume for holding a quantity of an electrolyte, and (3) means for applying a controlled electrical potential to the cathode. The base comprises (1) an air inlet portion for sampling air, (2) an air outlet portion connected to an air sampling pump, (3) a channel connecting the air inlet and the air outlet and adapted to introduce air to the electrolyte in the electrolyte cell, (4) a reservoir for storing the electrolyte for the electrolyte cell, and (5) a wick for supplying electrolyte from the reservoir to the electrolyte cell.

Characterization of volatile hydrocarbons emmtted to air from a cat-cracking refinery

Hydrocarbons (C 2–C 8) emitted to air from a Swedish cat-cracking petroleum refinery have been studied. Samples were taken by using adsorbent cartridges and personal air sampling pumps, and were analyzed by gas chromatography. The hydrocarbon emissions from the fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) were found to consist of approximately 15–20% alkenes, 5% or less arenes, and 80% alkanes. Alkenes are of great interest with respect to the formation of photooxidants. The alkenes were mainly propene, butenes and pentenes. For most of the samples, propene was the single most prominent alkene followed by trans-2-butene. All four butene isomers were separated. Propane and methylpropane were the major alkanes from the FCCU. The proportions of hydrocarbons in the mixed emissions from the aggregated other refinery processes were much less uniform than those from the FCCU.

An Examination of the Relationships between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Floor Lead Loading Clearance Level for Lead-Based Paint Abatement, Surface Dust Lead by a Vacuum Collection Method, and Pediatric Blood Lead

Abstract The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and several states have established floor and window dust lead clearance levels that must be met following lead-based paint abatement. These levels are also used as action levels to determine when exposure reduction measures are needed. Data are lacking on the relationship between these levels and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) goal of having no more than 5 percent of children with blood lead levels above 10 μg/dl. Similarly, little information is available on the relationship between results using the HUD-prescribed surface wipe dust sampling method and a vacuum dust collection method utilizing a personal air sampling pump as a vacuum source, which has been used in a number of lead exposure studies. Blood lead, paint lead, and floor dust lead levels by both methods from 53 households in a mining community with lead paint sources were examined to help answer these questions. Results suggest that the HUD floor clearance level may no...

A Respiration-Modulated Personal Air Sampling Pump

Abstract A prototype device was developed capable of controlling the operation of a portable personal air sampling pump proportional to the rate of inspiration of the wearer. The device was based on the relationship between thoracic impedance and pulmonary volume. A respiratory signal was detected using an impedance bridge, demodulated, filtered, amplified, and converted into digital form for input into a microcomputer. The signal was processed by a microcomputer, outputted, and then converted to an analog signal used to drive the pump. Operational evaluation of the impedance pneumographic controller showed variation in sensitivity and baseline from subject to subject, but for all subjects the linearity was acceptable.

Preliminary Tests of a Laboratory Chamber Technique Intended to Simulate Pesticide Volatility in the Field.

Pesticides volatilize into the atmosphere in measurable quantities and concentrations; however, reliable methods of trapping pesticide vapors are not readily available. Laboratory simulations of field pesticide volatilization can provide information from which inferences can be made regarding actual field-scale volatilization. The objective of this study was to evaluate a simple laboratory technique that can be used to simulate field volatilization of pesticide vapor, in this particular case metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide] vapor. In addition, this study was also used to evaluate the trapping efficiency of XAD-8 sorbent resin for metolachlor. A custom-designed volatilization chamber consisting of a 1.5-L bell-shaped jar was fitted with a vacuum air check valve. The chamber was connected to an air sampling tube that was filled with a polymeric resin, XAD-8, to trap metolachlor vapor. The air sampling tube was connected to a computerized air sampling pump, which could be programmed to sample air from the chamber at a variety of different flow rates and sampling intervals. The volatilization chamber was used inside of a controlled environment chamber to measure metolachlor volatilization from a glass surface over a 24-h period. Total metolachlor recovery averaged 102%. Total metolachlor volatilized under the controlled conditions of this study averaged 84%. Metolachlor trapped by the XAD-8 sorbent averaged 65%. The chamber design performed satisfactorily and when used inside a controlled-environment chamber provides a means of evaluating the effects of various microclimate parameters that influence pesticide volatilization.

Determination of Pesticides in Indoor Air and Dust

Improved analytical and sampling methods were developed for the multiresidue determination of pesticides in indoor air. Air analysis consists of adsorption of the pesticides in 1 m(3) of air onto Tenax TA via an air sampling pump, desorption with acetone and determination and quantitation by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with chemical ionization on an ion trap mass spectrometer. Limits of detection for the 23 pesticides studied ranged from 0.5 ng/m(3) for chlorpyrifos and diazinon to 30 ng/m(3) for o-phenylphenol (approximately 0.5-30 parts per trillion on a w/w basis). A simple method for the detection of pesticides in dust was also developed. This method involves emptying the contents of a vacuum cleaner bag into a standard household food processor and extracting 1 g homogenized dust with acetone before GC/MS. Limits of detection were 25-100 ppb because of interferences by common household chemicals. However, pesticide concentrations were higher in dust than in air, therefore, analysis of dust is a better indicator of indoor pesticide exposure.

Computerized Personal Pump Tester and Cycler

Abstract In industrial hygiene, workplace interventions require personal pumps with good operating autonomy and great reliability. The quality of the monitoring results depends directly on the constancy of the sampling flow and the capacity of the batteries to supply current for at least 8 hours. To facilitate the maintenance and performance testing of air sampling pumps, an automatic system has been developed to test the performance of the battery pack and pump flow. The system consists of two eight-module assemblies and a personal computer. The first eight-module assembly tests the battery capacity by means of a process of controlled charging and discharging (cycling). The eight other modules test the condition of the mechanical components of the pumps to diagnose the problems and orient technicians in their maintenance. A computer controls the 16 modules, managing the sequential testing of the pumps and rechargeable batteries. The condition of each unit tested is displayed on the screen. This personal-...

Reduced environmental exposure to aerosolized ribavirin using a simple containment system

To minimize the exposure of health care workers to aerosolized ribavirin, we designed a double tent containment system with circulating mist and suction applied between the tents and we evaluated the ability of this system to contain and evacuate aerosolized ribavirin. While the drug was administered with this system at three institutions, three air sampling pumps at different locations in the room and one worn by the investigator (personal breathing zone) collected air samples onto filters for assay of ambient ribavirin. Ribavirin determinations were made by high performance liquid chromatography. A 5- to greater than 20-fold decrease in ambient ribavirin concentrations was observed with the containment system compared with those detected with a single oxyhood in use. The personal breathing zone concentration was 566.0 micrograms/m3 with the oxyhood alone and fell to a mean concentration of 43.81 +/- 33.40 micrograms/m3 with the containment system. Though the risk to exposed health care workers is unknown, this system offers a simple way to decrease significantly occupational exposure to ribavirin.

Deposition of Airborne Sulfate, Nitrate, and Chloride Salts as It Relates to Corrosion of Electronics

Corrosion of electronic equipment and devices is caused by a combination of corrosive gas and corrosive particle deposition to surfaces. Chemical and electrochemical interactions of these gases and particles with the surfaces contributes to the degradation and eventual wear out of the equipment or, in extreme cases, to premature failure. While the reactions of corrosive gases with materials used in electronics have been investigated in some detail, degradation caused by particles has received little attention. In earlier studies, we reported on single point measurements of airborne concentrations and multiple point measurements of surface accumulation rates of corrosive ionic substances at electronic equipment installations. From that data it could not be determined if the large variations (more than a factor of two) in surface accumulation rates of the major ionic substances were a result of variations in airborne concentrations of the corrosive ions or in the deposition process. In this study compact personal air sampling pumps have been used to collect corrosive species contained in total suspended particulates at many sites within an equipment room at locations in Newark, New Jersey, and Neenah, Wisconsin. The airborne concentrations of the major corrosive ionic substances measured across the equipment rooms exhibit variations of < ± 15%. This work shows that: (i) airborne indoor concentrations of these corrosive species are sufficiently constant (σ is 8 and 2% of the mean for fine particle sulfate at Newark and Neenah, respectively) across the equipment room that results from a single sampler are representative of the concentrations across the entire room; and (ii) the variation in surface accumulation rates of corrosive ionic substances (σ is 46 and 36% of the mean for fine particle sulfate at Newark and Neenah, respectively) is not attributable to the airborne concentrations and thus should be attributed to other factors probably related to air currents. This work further demonstrates that designing equipment and air distribution networks to minimize turbulence at surfaces is likely to reduce corrosion and degradation by at least a factor of 2–5.

Occupational Exposure to Elemental Constituents in Fingerprint Powders

Fingerprint detection is an essential component of any crime detection agency. Little information is available regarding the elemental constituents of powders that are available currently. One recent case of lead poisoning coupled with many complaints from the Vancouver identification Squad members initiated a study regarding the elemental composition of, and the occupational exposure to, these powders. Multi-elemental analysis of the powders investigated showed that all contained varying amounts of aluminum, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, manganese, and nickel. One powder, however, contained 41% lead. The time spent at the scene of crime during a normal working shift averaged 95.5 min. Assessment of inhalation exposure during this period by personal air sampling pumps never exceeded the occupational exposure standards for these elements. Secondary exposure from dust-contaminated police vehicles and clothing can be an important contributor to overall exposure.

Development of a field method for evaluating the service life of organic vapor cartridges: results of laboratory testing using carbon tetrachloride.

A new method for determining the service life of respirator cartridges has been developed and tested in a laboratory setting. The method involves using small respirator carbon tubes (RCTs) packed with sorbent obtained from a respirator cartridge of interest. The tubes may be taken into an industrial setting and used to evaluate the work environment. A sample tube is placed directly behind the RCT and periodically replaced. This tube acts as a backup section to the RCT. The sample tube can be brought back to a laboratory and analyzed for the contaminant of interest using validated sampling methods specific for the contaminant. Alternatively, a direct-reading instrument can be placed at the exit end of the RCT to obtain "real-time" breakthrough information. The results, when combined with existing sorbent theories, can be used to predict the service life of a respirator cartridge. The advantage of using RCTs is that, unlike respirator cartridges, they can be taken into the field and used with traditional high-flow air sampling pumps. This method is designed to be able to determine the service life of respirator cartridges even when multiple contaminants are present in the workplace. Results of initial laboratory studies, using carbon tetrachloride as a challenge agent, indicated that RCTs were capable of predicting cartridge service life within an accuracy of +/- 15%.

Exposure of Hospital Workers to Airborne Antineoplastic Agents

Practices for handling antineoplastic drugs were surveyed, and ambient-air sampling for four antineoplastic agents was conducted in outpatient oncology clinics. A questionnaire was administered in 1981 to the nurse or pharmacist in charge of drug preparation at 10 hospital oncology clinics. At three sites, air samples were collected during working hours in medication-preparation rooms and nearby offices. The air-sampling pumps contained filters at breathing-zone height; room air was drawn through each filter for 40 hours. Extracts from the filters were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide in seven sets of samples and methotrexate and doxorubicin in five sets of samples. Mass spectrometry (MS) was used to confirm detection of fluorouracil. Total use of each monitored drug was recorded at each site. Nine clinics had no ventilation hood, and drugs were prepared by nurses in eight clinics. Routine use of gloves (three clinics) and masks (one clinic) was uncommon, and wastes were disposed of in uncovered receptacles in four of the clinics. Eating and drinking occurred in seven of the preparation rooms. At the main air-sampling site, fluorouracil (0.12-82.26 ng/cu m) was detected in air during 200 of the 320 hours monitored. Cyclophosphamide (370 ng/cu m) was present during 80 hours. In the two other sites, fluorouracil was detected by HPLC but not confirmed by MS, and no cyclophosphamide was detected. No detectable amounts of methotrexate and doxorubicin were present. Fluorouracil was the most frequently used drug, and cyclophosphamide was second. Results suggest that personnel handling antineoplastic drugs are subject to potential systemic absorption of these agents by inhalation.

The use of a solid sorbent as a collection medium for TNT and RDX vapors

A method is presented for sampling atmospheric vapors of the military explosives, TNT and RDX, with sorbent tubes containing Tenax-GC resin. Vapors were produced by placing TNT and RDX in a heated glass chamber and pulling the generated vapors on to the Tenax with an air sampling pump. Collection efficiencies were determined for concentrations of 2,1,0.5, 0.25, and 0.1 times the Threshold Limit Values recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Electron capture gas chromatography was used for the analyses and quantitation of the collected explosives.

An inexpensive, accurate air sampling pump

The system presented in this note is performing effectively in an institute-wide air sampling project being carried out by chemistry and environmental science majors.

Quality control in air sampling pump calibration.

Increasingly stringent regulations for worker exposure to air contaminants necessitates increasingly accurate and precise calibration of air sampling pumps. This program will enable the user to calibrate air sampling pumps to within specified limits of variation and to recognize situations that may lead to erroneous air sampling data.

A personal air sampling pump for hospital operating staff.

A personal air sampling pump for hospital operating staff.

Respirator compensation of a portable air monitor.

A respirator-compensated, portable air-monitor has been devised by modifying a commercially available personal air sampling pump. A switching circuit box, integrated into the sampling pump electrical system and activated by a micro switch mounted within the respirator mask, turns the pump off and a timer on whenever the respirator is worn. Thus, valid measurements of an individual worker's environmental exposures can be made even though that worker uses a respirator at his own discretion.