Performance characteristics of the button personal inhalable aerosol sampler

The button inhalable aerosol sampler with a curved porous inlet recently wa s developed and evaluated as a stationary sampler in the laboratory and in the field. The present study focused on investigating its suitability far p ersonal inhalable aerosol sampling. The button sampler was tested at two wi nd velocities (0.5 and 2.0 m/sec), three particle sizes (7, 29, and 70 mu m ) and three orientations to the wind (0, 90, and 180 degrees). The performa nce characteristics of the button sampler were compared with those of three other personal samplers-the IOM (Institute of Occupational Medicine), GSP, and 37-mm closed-face filter cassette. The experiments were conducted in a wind tunnel with the samplers mounted on a full-size manikin. The directio n-specific sampling efficiency of the button sampler was found to be essent ially independent of the wind direction and dependent on the wind velocity to a much smaller degree than that of the three other samplers. When direct ion-averaged, the fit of its sampling efficiency curve to the inhalability curve was found to be better than that of the 37-mm closed-face cassette, c omparable with that of the GSP sampler, and less than that of the IOM sampl er. The precision of the button sampler was found to be generally equal to or better than the precision of the comparison samplers. it was concluded t hat the button sampler can be successfully used as a personal inhalable aer osol sampler.