A Personal Cascade Impactor Design, Evaluation and Calibration

Rubow, Kenneth L.; Marple, Virgil A.; Olin, John C.; McCawley, Michael

doi:10.1202/0002-8894(1987)048<0532:apcide>2.0.co;2

Cited by 35 publications

(46 citation statements)

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“…Size-selective mass concentrations were calculated using Simpson's rule in a tabular-graphical approach to estimate the contribution of each impactor stage to the overall particle size fraction of interest (Hinds, 1986). Appendix B contains the correction factors for inlet efficiency and inter-stage particle losses (Rubow et al, 1987); particle size range and midpoint; and the fraction of each stage used to estimate the respirable, thoracic, and inhalable particulate mass concentrations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterization of exposures among cemented tungsten carbide workers. Part I: Size-fractionated exposures to airborne cobalt and tungsten particles

Stefaniak

Virji

Day

2008

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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As many as 30,000 workers in the United States of America are exposed to cemented tungsten carbides (CTC), alloys composed primarily of tungsten carbide and cobalt, which are used in cutting tools. Inhalation of cobalt-containing particles may be sufficient for the development of occupational asthma, whereas tungsten carbide particles in association with cobalt particles are associated with the development of hard metal disease (HMD) and lung cancer. Historical epidemiology and exposure studies of CTC workers often rely only on measures of total airborne cobalt mass concentration. In this study, we characterized cobalt-and tungsten-containing aerosols generated during the production of CTC with emphasis on (1) aerosol ''total'' mass (n ¼ 252 closed-face 37 mm cassette samples) and particle size-selective mass concentrations (n ¼ 108 eight-stage cascade impactor samples); (2) particle size distributions; and (3) comparison of exposures obtained using personal cassette and impactor samplers. Total cobalt and tungsten exposures were highest in work areas that handled powders (e.g., powder mixing) and lowest in areas that handled finished product (e.g., grinding). Inhalable, thoracic, and respirable cobalt and tungsten exposures were observed in all work areas, indicating potential for co-exposures to particles capable of getting deposited in the upper airways and alveolar region of the lung. Understanding the risk of CTC-induced adverse health effects may require two exposure regimes: one for asthma and the other for HMD and lung cancer. All sizes of cobalt-containing particles that deposit in the lung and airways have potential to cause asthma, thus a thoracic exposure metric is likely biologically appropriate. Cobalt-tungsten mixtures that deposit in the alveolar region of the lung may potentially cause HMD and lung cancer, thus a respirable exposure metric for both metals is likely biologically appropriate. By characterizing size-selective and co-exposures as well as multiple exposure pathways, this series of papers offer an approach for developing biologically meaningful exposure metrics for use in epidemiology.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The table below presents the correction factors for inlet efficiency and interstage particle losses (Rubow et al, 1987) …”

Section: Appendix Bmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of exposures among cemented tungsten carbide workers. Part I: Size-fractionated exposures to airborne cobalt and tungsten particles

Stefaniak

Virji

Day

2008

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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“…An alternative in which this phenomenon is considered is the Berner-Impactor (Hillamo et al, 1991). The Marple 8-stage impactor is a personal cascade impactor design that provides size-resolved PBAP information directly from the breathing zone of an individual who wears it (Rubow et al, 1987). The Burkhardt spore trap has been an important sampler for collecting large PBAP such as fungal spores and pollen (Hirst, 1952).…”

Section: Pbap Sampling Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Primary biological aerosol particles in the atmosphere: a review

Després¹,

Huffman

Burrows³

et al. 2012

Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology

1,176

1,114

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A B S T R A C T Atmospheric aerosol particles of biological origin are a very diverse group of biological materials and structures, including microorganisms, dispersal units, fragments and excretions of biological organisms. In recent years, the impact of biological aerosol particles on atmospheric processes has been studied with increasing intensity, and a wealth of new information and insights has been gained. This review outlines the current knowledge on major categories of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP): bacteria and archaea, fungal spores and fragments, pollen, viruses, algae and cyanobacteria, biological crusts and lichens and others like plant or animal fragments and detritus. We give an overview of sampling methods and physical, chemical and biological techniques for PBAP analysis (cultivation, microscopy, DNA/RNA analysis, chemical tracers, optical and mass spectrometry, etc.). Moreover, we address and summarise the current understanding and open questions concerning the influence of PBAP on the atmosphere and climate, i.e. their optical properties and their ability to act as ice nuclei (IN) or cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). We suggest that the following research activities should be pursued in future studies of atmospheric biological aerosol particles: (1) develop efficient and reliable analytical techniques for the identification and quantification of PBAP; (2) apply advanced and standardised techniques to determine the abundance and diversity of PBAP and their seasonal variation at regional and global scales (atmospheric biogeography); (3) determine the emission rates, optical properties, IN and CCN activity of PBAP in field measurements and laboratory experiments; (4) use field and laboratory data to constrain numerical models of atmospheric transport, transformation and climate effects of PBAP.

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“…SE298) which operate at 2.0 L/min, were used for sampling in the present study (except Sampling 2 which was carried out for SEM imaging only). The choice of impactor was based on the following merits: 1) its portability enabled sampling in the operator breathing zone, 2) eight impaction stages (A-H) with relevant cut-points (21.3, 14.8, 9.8, 6.0, 3.5, 1.6, 0.9 and 0.5 μm) and 3) the impactor has been verified in the literature to have sharp cut-points [14,27].…”

Section: Aerosol Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uranium aerosols at a nuclear fuel fabrication plant: Characterization using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

Hansson

Pettersson

Fortin³

et al. 2017

Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy

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Detailed aerosol knowledge is essential in numerous applications, including risk assessment in nuclear industry. Cascade impactor sampling of uranium aerosols in the breathing zone of nuclear operators was carried out at a nuclear fuel fabrication plant. Collected aerosols were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Imaging revealed remarkable variations in aerosol morphology at the different workshops, and a presence of very large particles (up to≅100 × 50 μm 2 ) in the operator breathing zone. Characteristic X-ray analysis showed varying uranium weight percentages of aerosols and, frequently, traces of nitrogen, fluorine and iron. The analysis method, in combination with cascade impactor sampling, can be a powerful tool for characterization of aerosols. The uranium aerosol source term for risk assessment in nuclear fuel fabrication appears to be highly complex.

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A Personal Cascade Impactor Design, Evaluation and Calibration

Cited by 35 publications

References 0 publications

Characterization of exposures among cemented tungsten carbide workers. Part I: Size-fractionated exposures to airborne cobalt and tungsten particles

Characterization of exposures among cemented tungsten carbide workers. Part I: Size-fractionated exposures to airborne cobalt and tungsten particles

Primary biological aerosol particles in the atmosphere: a review

Uranium aerosols at a nuclear fuel fabrication plant: Characterization using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

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