Evaluation of Respirator Filters for Asbestos Fibers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cheng YS ; Fan B ; Holmes TD ; Yeh HC
• Description:
  The effects of fiber dimensions, flow rate, and charge status of filter cartridges on the penetration of fiber aerosols were examined, using four types of test respirator filters (two for passive respirators, one for a powered respirator, and one disposal respirator). Some filters were charged to enhance the collection efficiency. Only high efficiency filters performed consistently for both spherical test aerosols and the three types of asbestos (1332214) fibers. The performance of these filters did not appear to be changed by the surface charge potential of filter cartridges and charge status of fibers. When the change potential on the filter was removed and/or fiber aerosols discharged, the performance of low efficiency filters and masks deteriorated for aerosols. The surface charges decreased in a high temperature, high humidity environment and disappeared after 1 week. Shorter fibers had higher penetration rates, indicating that fiber interception is an important deposition mechanism. The maximum fiber penetration occurred in the region of fiber diameter and length where the interception diffusion deposition were at a minimum. These fibers could penetrate the face mask seal, with increased penetration for larger leaks. The fibers that penetrated had sizes similar in distribution to those found in bulk aerosols and may be a major concern for respiratory protection. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Asbestos Dust Inorganic Chemicals Occupational Health Particulate Matter Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Respiratory System Safety
• Keywords:
  Airborne-particles Asbestos-fibers Fibrous-dusts NIOSH-Grant Personal-protective-equipment Respirators Respiratory-equipment
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  New Mexico ; OSHA Region 6
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-54
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00231889
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB97-105209
• Citation:
  Aerosol Science Group, Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute, Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute 1996 Jan; :1-54
• Contact Point Address:
  Aerosol Science Lovelace Biomed & Environ Res PO Box 5890 Albuquerque, NM 87185
• CAS Registry Number:
  Asbestos (CAS RN 1332-21-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1996
• NORA Priority Area:
  Respirator Research
• Performing Organization:
  Lovelace Institutes, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19911201
• Source Full Name:
  Aerosol Science Group, Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute, Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute
• End Date:
  19950929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3a9d19a1cd89c9f1141b9532126a0f4b44fc69ac202405f2f8e619ee01a4c3b12be06aae21934e2592b8750cb533f38ac7c6d17eda52c35344e599fa78b3841a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/217858/cdc_217858_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.89 MB ]