Size selective personal air sampling using porous plastic foams

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 96.0007

Key words (English)

Polyurethane foam; particle size sampling; occupational hygiene; analytical methods; heavy metals; PAHs; pesticides; foam weighing

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: SMT4-CT96-2137

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 2.2 Measurements and testing

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
Institut Universitaire Romand de Santé au Travail IST

Partners and International Organizations (English)

BIA-Berufsgenossenschaftliches Institut für Arbeitssicherheit (D), IOM-Institute of Occupational Medicine-University of Edimbourg, HSL- Health and Safety Laboratory (UK), INRS-Institut National de Recherche en Sécurité au Travail (F), Lavoro e ambiente (I)

Abstract (English)

The purpose of the project is to ivestigate the characteristics of porous polyurethane foam to size-selectivety collect airborne particles fractions and toxic agents according to their degree of penetration in the lungs of individuals at the workplace. This project is assumed by a consortium of six european laboratories, each of them national leader in the fields of occupational hygiene. We participate to the steering committee and are task leader for the work packages pertaining to foam quality and measurement techniques for foam porosity, foam purification, weighing procedures as well as chemical analytical methods to be developped for the determinations of organic and inorganic toxic substances.
During this year, we continued our previous investigations on the influence of temperature and humidity on foam weight. Estimating the dependency on humidity, it is found that a change of 10% relative humidity in the range of 30 to 60% results in 0.27% weight change. The conditioning time is proposed to be 24 hours before weighing at constant relative humidity nearby 50% in non climatized rooms but in a temperature and humidity controlled glove box in order to achieve an accuracy at 10 ug for foam pieces at the 250 mg levels.
Going further in other work packages, we designed a prototype of sampler based on the acquired findings from partners on penetration of various foams types, in order to test performances of analytical methods in terms of sample treatment and recovery under realistic conditions similar to that found at the workplace.
Our prototype sampler is representing an alternative to adopted samplers based on the IOM and GSP sampling heads since it makes use of the very commonly used Gelman cassettes with subsequent adaptors for holding the two size selective foam types and also devices for the sampling of gas phase or semi volatile compounds.
Elements like lead and nickel were first used as test compounds for toxic metals. Digestion procedures for foam were studied and the solubilization of foam appears to be complete despite minor differences of procedures carried out in different laboratories. The levels of background elemental compounds are not to significantly interfere with the determination of trace metals.
Designed procedures are under way for evaluating the performances of foam to adequately sample organic compounds in the atmosphere.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 96.0007