Characteristics and Sampling Efficiencies of Aerosol Samplers: Rotating Arm Sampler, BiocaptureTM Sampler, and MicrovicTM Aerosol Concentrator

摘要

Characteristics and sampling efficiencies of three aerosol samplers were determined. They are Rotating Arm Sampler (RAS), BioCapture(Trademark) Sampler, and Microvic(Trademark) Aerosol Concentrator. The RAS was made at the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, and the BioCapture(Trademark) and the Microvic(Trademark) aerosol concentrator were made by MesoSystems Technology, Inc. (Richland, WA). The RAS samples the aerosol on filters. The BioCapture(Trademark) collects the particles on a wetted rotating surface, and the Microvic(Trademark) concentrates the particles from an air flow rate of 30 L/min to 3 L/min. A filter is attached to the Microvic(Trademark) Aerosol Concentrator to collect the particles. Monodisperse fluorescent oleic acid particles and monodisperse fluorescent polystyrene latex particles were used in these tests. Fluorometry was the analysis method. The results showed that the sampling efficiency of the RAS is between 80 - 95% for 2 - 13 micrometers particles. The sampling efficiency of the BioCapture(Trademark) is < 22% for particles in the 1 - 9 micrometers range, and the sampling efficiency of the Microvic(Trademark) is between 40 - 60% for 1 - 11 micrometers particles.