Gas diffusion sampling and measurement system for occupational dosimetry and air quality monitoring as exemplified by a carbon monoxide occupational dosimeter

摘要

CO exposure is a serious public health problem in the U.S., causing both morbidity and mortality (lifetime mortality risk approximately 10⁴). Sparse data from population-based CO exposure assessments indicate that approximately 10% of the U.S. population is exposed to CO above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. No CO exposure measurement technology is available for affordable population-based CO exposure assessment studies.;Two CO measuring devices, an occupational CO dosimeter (LOCD) and an indoor air quality (IAQ) passive sampler, were designed, developed, and tested both in the laboratories and field. Time-weighted-average CO exposure of the compact diffusion tube sampler containing a selective and non-regenerative palladium-molybdenum based CO sensor is quantified by using a simple spectrophotometer.;Both devices are capable of measuring CO exposure precisely with relative standard deviation of less than 20% and with bias of less than 10%. Results indicated that the CO exposure distributions measured by LOCD has a precison of about /1 ppm.