Evaluation of the standard NIOSH type charcoal tube sampling method for organic vapors in air

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15298668491399749· OSTI ID:5907867

Kring, E V; Ansul, G R; Henry, T J; Morello, J A; Dixon, S W; Vasta, J F; Hemingway, R E

The standard charcoal tube method as developed by NIOSH offered an improved method for sampling organic airborne contaminants. The method was validated for over 200 organic compounds. The protocol used, however, had several shortcomings. These shortcomings included dry air dilution, small dose levels (0.5 -1.0 X OSHA standard for 5-53 minutes), and lack of verification of test gas mixtures by on-line instrumentation calibrated with certified mixed gas cylinders. An improved protocol recently developed has been used to test a number of the more common organic airborne contaminants. When this procedure was used, 14 of the 22 compounds failed to meet NIOSH accuracy requirements (less than or equal to +/- 25% over the range of 0.5 to 2.0 X OSHA standard at the 95% confidence level). This work suggests that workers in the industrial hygiene field should consider the charcoal tube method only as an independent method and not as a primary standard for air monitoring. Compounds sampled include ethyl benzene and isobutyl acetate.

• Research Organization: EI du Pont de Nemours and Co. Inc., Wilmington, DE
• OSTI ID: 5907867
• Journal Information: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States) Vol. 45:4; ISSN AIHAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACCURACY
ACETIC ACID ESTERS
ACTIVATED CARBON
ADSORBENTS
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AROMATICS
CARBON
CARBOXYLIC ACID ESTERS
ELEMENTS
ESTERS
MEASURING METHODS
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NIOSH
NONMETALS
ON-LINE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
ON-LINE SYSTEMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTANTS
SAMPLING
STANDARDS
TESTING
US DOL
US ORGANIZATIONS
US OSHA
VALIDATION