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New protocol for testing personal inhalable aerosol samplers: wind tunnel evaluation.

Aizenberg V; Grinshpun S; Willeke K; Witschger O; Smith J; Baron P

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 9-15, 1998, Atlanta, Georgia. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 1998 May; :17

20043688

A Simplified Test Protocol previously developed for the performance evaluation of personal inhalable aerosol samplers was used in a specially designed compact close-loop open-section wind tunnel. Traditional wind tunnels usually cannot handle particles larger than about 100 micrometers because rapid particle sedimentation makes it virtually impossible to achieve uniform aerosol distribution in the test zone. In contrast, the new wind tunnel facility was found useful for handling very large particles. The sampling efficiencies of three personal inhalable aerosol samplers (10M, GSP, and the Button Personal Aerosol Sampler) were measured with 65-, 96-, 165-, and 241 micrometer particles at four inlet orientations (0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees) to the wind of 50 and 100 cm/s velocity. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) conducted on the data obtained with the 65-micrometer particles has indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in the samplers' performance when they are tested in the small and in the large wind tunnels following the Simplified Test Protocol and the conventional approach (samplers on a full-size human manikin). The data show that the sampling efficiency of the 10M sampler depends significantly on wind velocity and is above 100% for particles of 165 and 241 micrometer mass median aerodynamic diameter. This dependence is not statistically significant for the GSP and the Button Sampler, whose sampling efficiencies were similar to each other and do not change with increasing test particle size at the indicated wind velocities. Also, it was found that the sampling efficiencies of the GSP and the Button Sampler closely follow independent data obtained with a breathing rotating manikin at the wind velocity of 100 cm/s. Use of the new wind tunnel design is expected to enhance our ability to extend the inhalable convention beyond 100 micrometers.

Testing-equipment; Samplers; Aerosols; Particulates; Statistical-analysis; Respirable-dust; Respiration; Respiratory-irritants

19980509

Abstract

1998

DPSE

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 9-15, 1998, Atlanta, Georgia

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