ELECTRET-BASED PASSIVE DUST SAMPLER - SAMPLING OF ORGANIC DUSTS

Passive samplers are light, convenient and cheap, However, the sample size tends to be small and a correlation exercise between the results of a passive sampler and a conventional sampler must be carried out, T he design principles and mode of action of an electret-based passive d ust sampler are described, The device captures dust particles at a rat e independent of the velocity of air except when this is very low but dependent on the electrical properties of the dust being sampled. Expe rimental results are presented of measurements made in bakeries, pig f arms, a dairy farm, an arable farm and a rubber-manufacturing plant. C orrelation between measurements made with the passive sampler and meas urements of inhalable dust performed by other means are reasonable, Th e results are interpreted in terms of the physical properties of the d ust being sampled.