Journal article
Evaluation of a diffusion charger for measuring aerosols in a workplace
The Annals of occupational hygiene, Vol.58(4), pp.424-436
05/2014
DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/met082
PMCID: PMC4318931
PMID: 24458322
Abstract
The model DC2000CE diffusion charger from EcoChem Analytics (League City, TX, USA) has the potential to be of considerable use to measure airborne surface area concentrations of nanoparticles in the workplace. The detection efficiency of the DC2000CE to reference instruments was determined with monodispersed spherical particles from 54 to 565.7 nm. Surface area concentrations measured by a DC2000CE were then compared to measured and detection efficiency adjusted reference surface area concentrations for polydispersed aerosols (propylene torch exhaust, incense, diesel exhaust, and Arizona road dust) over a range of particle sizes that may be encountered in a workplace. The ratio of surface area concentrations measured by the DC2000CE to that measured with the reference instruments for unimodal and multimodal aerosols ranged from 0.02 to 0.52. The ratios for detection efficiency adjusted unimodal and multimodal surface area concentrations were closer to unity (0.93-1.19) for aerosols where the majority of the surface area was within the size range of particles used to create the correction. A detection efficiency that includes the entire size range of the DC2000CE is needed before a calibration correction for the DC2000CE can be created. For diesel exhaust, the DC2000CE retained a linear response compared to reference instruments up to 2500 mm(2) m(-3), which was greater than the maximum range stated by the manufacturer (1000 mm(2) m(-3)). Physical limitations with regard to DC2000CE orientation, movement, and vibration were identified. Vibrating the DC2000CE while measuring aerosol concentrations may cause an increase of ~35 mm(2) m(-3), whereas moving the DC2000CE may cause concentrations to be inflated by as much as 400 mm(2) m(-3). Depending on the concentration of the aerosol of interest being measured, moving or vibrating a DC2000CE while measuring the aerosol should be avoided.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Evaluation of a diffusion charger for measuring aerosols in a workplace
- Creators
- Donna J H Vosburgh - 1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 800 West Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190, USABon Ki KuThomas M Peters
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Annals of occupational hygiene, Vol.58(4), pp.424-436
- Publisher
- England
- DOI
- 10.1093/annhyg/met082
- PMID
- 24458322
- PMCID
- PMC4318931
- ISSN
- 0003-4878
- eISSN
- 1475-3162
- Grant note
- P30 ES005605 / NIEHS NIH HHS K01OH009255 / NIOSH CDC HHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/2014
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health
- Record Identifier
- 9983997314702771
Metrics
24 Record Views