Performance characterization of the MiniVol PM{sub 2.5} sampler
Measurements were conducted to assess the MiniVol PM{sub 2.5} sampler performance for various particle preseparator configurations including flat and cup impaction stages. Laboratory measurements were conducted to determine the impactor collection efficiency as a function of particle size. Impactor cut points--the aerodynamic particle diameter exhibiting 50% collection efficiency--were 2.5 mm ({approximately} 10%) for the flat stage and 3.0 mm for the cup stage. Collection efficiency curves for cascade (tandem) impactor configurations (PM{sub 10} followed by PM{sub 2.5}) generally agreed with the single stage results. In all cases the collection efficiency curves exhibited the classical sigmoidal shape, albeit less steep than required for PM{sub 2.5} Federal Reference Method (FRM) samplers. Field data were collected at urban sites in St. Louis using MiniVol samplers collocated with a PM{sub 2.5} FRM sampler to quantify the MiniVol sampler precision and accuracy. Collocated sampler precision was 6% and 10% for MiniVol cascade impactors with flat PM{sub 2.5} stages and cup PM{sub 2.5} stages, respectively (N = 31). Both of these MiniVol configurations were deemed statistically equivalent to the FRM when the reported ambient mass concentrations were corrected for field blank values (N = 15).
- Research Organization:
- Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20002084
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990608--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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