Size and concentration measurement of an industrial aerosol

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15298668691389928· OSTI ID:5011402

O'Brien, D; Baron, P; Willeke, K

Several real-time particle sizing instruments were evaluated for measuring the size distribution and concentration of the aerosol produced during the high speed grinding of gray iron castings. Aerosol was sampled in the airstream entrained by the motion of a spinning grinding wheel in a pilot grinding operation. Measurement methods based on differing physical principles were selected for evaluation and compared: particle inertia (aerodynamic particle sizer and quartz crystal microbalance cascade impactor); light scattering (laser aerosol spectrometer); and projected-area microscopy (scanning electron microscope). Inferences of aerodynamic diameter based on measurements by the laser aerosol spectrometer consistently undersized that determined by the aerodynamic particle sizer by a factor of 1.5. Estimates of aerodynamic diameters from projected area diameters determined by scanning electron microscopy differed from those obtained by the aerodynamic particle sizer by a factor of 2. Differences appeared to be a non-linear function of particle diameter. Estimates of respirable mass determined from mass-weighted particle size spectra varied by a factor of 6 between the largest estimate (scanning electron microscope) and the smallest estimate (laser aerosol spectrometer).

• Research Organization: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH
• OSTI ID: 5011402
• Journal Information: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States) Vol. 7; ISSN AIHAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
AIR
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
INDUSTRY
IRON
METAL INDUSTRY
METALS
MICROSCOPY
PARTICLE SIZE
SAMPLING
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SIZE
SOLS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS