Measurement of personal exposure to NO[sub 2] in Sweden--evaluation of a passive sampler

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Esposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6943953

Berglund, M; Vahter, M; Bylin, G ^[1]

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1. Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Sweden)

A passive (filter badge) sampler for personal NO2 exposure measurements was tested in a laboratory setting (exposure chamber), and in the field--outdoors, during periods of high relative humidity (mean 85%) and low temperature (-5 to +10[degrees]C), and indoors, in an ice-hockey arena--using chemiluminescence as a reference method. Parallel measurements of NO2 in the exposure chamber (concentration range 100-825 micrograms NO2/m[sup 3]) for 15, 30, and 60 min sampling periods, showed good agreement between methods. The concentrations obtained with passive samplers were 78 to 122% (mean 94%, SD [plus minus]11, N = 39) of those obtained with chemiluminescence, using a sampling rate (K'OG) of 0.14 cm/sec. The detection limits were 320, 160, and 80 micrograms NO2/m[sup 3] for 15, 30, and 60 minutes of sampling, respectively. Outdoors (concentration range 15-102 micrograms NO2/m[sup 3], concentrations obtained with passive samplers were consistently lower than concentrations obtained with chemiluminescence (mean 79%, SD [plus minus]9.3%, range 61-95%, N = 25), using the K'OG of 0.14 of cm/sec (Passive samplerNO2 = 0.67ChemilumNO2 + 4.5). A better agreement between concentrations obtained with passive samplers and chemiluminescence was achieved with a K'OG of 0.11 cm/sec (mean 100%, SD [plus minus]12%, range 78-121%, Passive samplerNO2 = 0.84 ChemilumNO2 + 6.4). Indoors (concentration range 210-3895 micrograms NO2/m[sup 3]), concentrations obtained with passive samplers were 70 to 113% (mean 90%, SD [plus minus]16%) of the concentrations obtained with chemiluminescence (Passive samplerNO2 = 1.00ChemilumNO2 - 93) using a K'OG of 0.10 cm/sec. Duplicate samples collected indoors N = 18) and outdoors (N = 31) showed a variability (coefficient of variation, or CV) of less than 6%. It was concluded that the passive sampler is useful for measuring personal daily exposure as well as peak exposure. It is necessary to determine sampling rates for various environmental conditions.

• OSTI ID: 6943953
• Journal Information: Journal of Esposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Esposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology; (United States) Vol. 2:3; ISSN JEAEE9; ISSN 1053-4245
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
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CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMILUMINESCENCE
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