FIELD TESTING OF NEW AEROSOL SAMPLING METHOD WITH A POROUS CURVED SURFACE AS INLET

A new aerosol sampling method, utilizing a porous curved surface as th e sampling inlet, has recently been developed. Previous laboratory eva luations of this method have demonstrated its important features, such ar low wind sensitivity and good filter collection uniformity. In thi s study a prototype incorporating the new method was evaluated in the field as a stationary and personal sampling device. The small sampler, utilizing a 25-mm filter is called the button aerosol sampler and was evaluated for collecting total airborne dust and fungal spores. The s tudy was performed in nine poorly maintained inner-city houses during environmental cleanups at different cleanliness levels. The button sam pler was used in parallel with the standard 37-mm closed-face filter c assette. Four collocated samplers of each type were tested at ail site s as stationary samplers, and three samplers of each type were tested at two sites as personal samplers. Aerosol samples were collected on f ilters and analyzed using the gravimetric method for total dust and ep ifluorescence microscopy for fungal spores. The average particle conce ntration values measured with the button sampler and with the standard sampling cassette were found to correlate well within ranges of 10(1) -10(3) mu g/m(3) for total dust and 10(3)-10(5) spores/m(3) for airbor ne fungi. he measurement results obtained with the new button sampler showed lower intersample variations of the measured concentration leve ls and higher uniformity of the particle deposits on the filters than those obtained with the standard cassette.