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Automated breathing and metabolic simulator (ABMS) CO2 test for powered and non-powered air-purifying respirators, airline respirators, and gas mask.

Sinkule E; Turner N; Hota S

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 10-15, 2003, Dallas, Texas. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2003 May; :54

https://www.aihceexp.org/future-past-dates

20022781

There is currently no NIOSH certification test for CO2 concentrations in air-purifying respirators. The Automated Breathing and Metabolic Simulator (ABMS), which simulates human metabolism, minute ventilation, and breathing waveforms, was used to characterize average inhaled CO2 in a variety of NIOSH-approved air-purifying respirators. An ABMS CO2 test protocol was developed to test 11 powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), 20 airline respirators (SARs), six gas masks, 27 P-I00 air-purifying respirators (APRs), and 26 filtering-facepiece N95 respirators (N95s). The ABMS CO2 protocol consisted of the following levels of O2 consumption, CO2 production, and minute ventilation performed consecutively for a minimum of five minutes each: 0.5, 0.4, and 10 L/min STPD; 1.0, 0.8, and 25 L/min STPD; 1.5, 1.3, and 38 L/min STPD; 2.0, 1.9, and 62 L/min STPD; 2.5, 2.5, and 70 L/min STPD; and 3.0, 3.1, and 80 L/min STPD, respectively. The mean across all PAPR models for average inhaled CO2 and O2 ranged from 0.2% and 20.7%, respectively, for the lowest metabolic rate to 0.9% and 20.0%, respectively, for the greatest metabolic rate. The mean across all SARs for average inhaled CO2 and O2 ranged from 0.5% and 20.3%, respectively, for the lowest metabolic rate to 0.4% and 20.5%, respectively, for the greatest metabolic rate. The mean across all gas masks and APRs for average inhaled CO2 and O2 ranged from 2.6% and 17.5%, respectively, for the lowest metabolic rate to 0.7% and 20.4%, respectively, for the greatest metabolic rate. The mean across all N95s for average inhaled CO2 and O2 ranged from 3.5% and 16.8%, respectively, for the lowest metabolic rate to 2.7% and 18.6%, respectively, for the greatest metabolic rate. These data demonstrate the wide range of average inhaled CO2 concentrations across respirator types and the utility of the ABMS in conducting CO2 testing.

Breathing; Breathing-atmospheres; Air-purifiers; Air-purifying-respirators; Respirators; Metabolism; Respiratory-protective-equipment

124-38-9; 7782-44-7

20030510

Abstract

2003

SRL; NPPTL

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 10-15, 2003, Dallas, Texas

PA; WA; TX