Laboratory evaluation of wipe testing based on lead oxide surface contamination

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15298668491399848· OSTI ID:6531141

Chavalitnitikul, C; Levin, L

Although wipe testing has been used extensively as a measure of surface contamination in industrial hygiene, few scientific studies have been reported to validate the procedure with respect to quantitative recovery, repeatability or methodology. Consequently, a laboratory evaluation of wipe testing with particular attention to the OSHA procedure was undertaken using lead oxide dust as the test contaminant. A dust dispersion system was devised using a Wright dust feeder to produce relatively uniform surface concentrations in an aerosol chamber. Wipe materials included moistened filter paper, commercial paper towels, adhesive paper labels and adhesive tape. The quantitative recovery and repeatability of the wipe procedures were related to surface concentrations and the operational and material variables. Significant improvements in recoveries of up to 90% can be obtained with good repeatability for removable lead oxide dust on non-porous surfaces using moist paper on a fixed test surface area. For porous surfaces, which show significantly lower recovery by all methods, adhesive sampling materials applied at maximum pressure provided an optimum recovery of 77%. The importance of reliable surface contamination measurements in assessing potential health hazards underscores the desirability of improving the demonstrated deficiencies of the OSHA and other wipe sampling procedures.

• Research Organization: Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA
• OSTI ID: 6531141
• Journal Information: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States) Vol. 45:5; ISSN AIHAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
COMPLIANCE
CONTAMINATION
DISPERSIONS
DUSTS
EVALUATION
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD OXIDES
MEASURING METHODS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAMPLING
SOLS
SURFACES
TESTING
US DOL
US ORGANIZATIONS
US OSHA
VALIDATION