Personal Aerosol Sampler with Size Fractionation and Time Resolution

This chapter describes a personal aerosol sampler with size fractionation and time resolution that gives samples for elemental analysis. An impaction stage collects coarse particles and a filtration stage collects finer ones. Sampling in consecutive time intervals is performed on different impaction and filtration surfaces. These sampling surfaces corresponding, for example, to 15-min intervals, may be analyzed with particle-induced X-ray emission analysis (PIXE) for fast, low-cost determination of most of the elements of hygienic interest that are present in aerosols in concentrations far below their current threshold limit values (TLV). The sampler is intended to be used for aerosol measurements in work environments to obtain detailed information on exposures