A Novel Approach of Quantifying Real-Time Aerosol Concentrations from Gravimetric Filter Collection

Details

• Personal Author:
  L'Orange C
• Description:
  Exposure to aerosols is associated with numerous adverse health effects. Current options for measuring real-time aerosol concentrations typically utilize optical methods such as light scattering or light transmittance. The accuracy of optical aerosol measurements depends on the size and optical characteristics of the particles being measured and, although low-cost optical methods are becoming increasingly available, these low-cost devices can have questionable accuracy. This work sought to establish the potential efficacy of changing filter pressure drop as a proxy measure to determine time-resolved particle loading on a filter. The approach is based on the principle that flow through a filter must overcome the pressure drop from drag forces. Filter pores become clogged as particles are deposited, and air drag increases, increasing pressure drop. These were some of our main findings: 1) We established that low-cost pressure sensors were capable of detecting the minute changes in resistance that occur as a filter begins to load. 2) Under ideal conditions, the sensors were capable of detecting loading of only a few micrograms of loading. 3) Where the proposed new approach struggled was to compensate for rapidly changing environmental conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure. In cases of low-concentration air pollution, changes in filter drag were greatly dominated by changes in environmental conditions, leading to unreliable predictions of aerosol concentrations. 4) Where the technology was shown to be highly effective was in the determination of real-time changes in flow rate through filter media. This approach has great potential to be used to determine filter leakage rate. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Aerosol Sampling Emerging Technology Filters Gravimetric Analysis Quantitative Analysis Sensors
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-16
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069573
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, K01-OH-011598, 2023 Dec; :1-16
• Email:
  christian.lorange@colostate.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Performing Organization:
  Colorado State University
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20190901
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20220831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:827d698843630620a0a43576feeca108a95b341858b149c1f0d53d2b14d3d73d5e647b279585f6f13671d662a334a668fa3c7fda0eae9665894297a16a17320f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/219241/cdc_219241_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.81 MB ]