AIR SAMPLING

METHODS /
DIFFICULTIES
 What is air sampling?

• Air sampling is capturing the contaminant from a known volume of air,

measuring the amount of contaminant captured, and expressing it as a
concentration.
• This means that an air sample requires three basic measurements:
• 1. The flow rate of air through the collection medium
• 2. The sample run time
• 3. The amount of contaminant collected

• The volume of air is calculated by multiplying the flow rate through the
collection medium by the sample run time. It is important to know the exact
volume of air sampled, so accurate calibration of the flow rate should be carried
out before and after each sample is taken.
• Flow x Time = Volume of air sampled

• The concentration is calculated by dividing the amount of contaminant

collected by the volume of air sampled, and it is expressed either as
milligrams per cubic metre (mg/m³) or parts per million (ppm).

• Amount ÷ Volume = Concentration of contaminant

 Why perform air sampling?
• Some substances present in workplaces can be harmful to health, so levels
of exposure to these hazardous substances must be monitored to protect
workers.

• These are referred to as Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs). WELs are

concentrations of hazardous substances in the air, averaged over a
specified period of time, referred to as a time weighted average (TWA).
• Two time periods are used: Long term (8 hours) and short term (15
minutes). Short term exposure limits (STELs) are set to help prevent
effects such as eye irritation, which may occur following exposure of only
a few minutes.
• also highlights other important information about the substance, such as
whether it is a skin sensitizer, carcinogenic, or whether biological
monitoring guidance also applies, which require employers to prevent or
control exposure to hazardous substances.
 How is Air Sampling Carried Out?
• There are many different methods of taking air samples, but by far the
most common is to use a battery operated pump to draw a volume of air
through a collection device (‘sampler’) which is mounted in the breathing
zone of the worker. As the air passes through the sampler, any
contaminants present are captured onto a collection medium (normally a
filter paper for solid contaminants and a sorbent for gases).
• The sample is then sent to a laboratory for analysis to calculate the
concentration of the contaminant.
• There are also some internationally adopted (ISO) standards that are used
for some contaminants such as welding fume. To find the most appropriate
sampling method for your hazard please consult the HSE website, or the
online Hazard Search at www.skcltd. com/hazard-search.html.

• Methods of monitoring must simulate actual exposure in order for the

results to be compared with regulatory levels.
• This means that the sample must be a ‘personal’ sample, e.g. taken from
within the employee’s personal breathing zone (see image below). The
pump should be capable of drawing air through the sampler at the required
flow rate for a set time period and constantly maintain that flow rate
regardless of fluctuations in temperature or back pressure (the restriction
to air flow of the sampler).
Dust or ‘aerosol’ is split into three size ranges as detailed in the diagram to
the right, each of which has different effects on the respiratory system.
• Inhalable dust is any solid particle which by its small size can be carried
in airflow or remains airborne and can be inhaled through the nose and
mouth.
• Thoracic dust is taken to be solid particles which can be drawn past the
larynx.
• Respirable dust is taken to be solid particles which because of their
extremely small size can be drawn deep into the lungs. It is important to
note that inhalable dust contains both thoracic and respirable particles, and
in the same way thoracic dust contains respirable particles.
• Historically, respirable dust has demanded the most attention as smaller
particles can penetrate deeper into the lungs and cannot be ejected by the
normal means of breathing out, coughing or travelling out in the lung
mucus.
• It is because of this ability to stay in the body that it is considered to be
dangerous; the particles can settle onto the lining of the lungs and cause
respiratory illness such as silicosis or COPD (Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease).
• However, particles of larger sizes can also have an effect on the upper
respiratory tract (throat, nose, and mouth).
 Sampling Devices
• Filter Sampling Inhalable Dust
• The design of the IOM* sampler inlet allows only the inhalable fraction to be
drawn into the sampler where it is captured on a filter paper mounted inside a
cassette as the air passes through the filter. Gravimetric analysis is usually used to
measure results (i.e. by measuring the weight gain of the filter). Further analysis
can be carried out on the filter to identify the specific chemicals captured.
• Filter Sampling Respirable Dust
• The IOM* sampler with a special foam plug placed in the cassette inlet
can be used to sample respirable dust. The foam plug captures the larger
dust particles but allows the finer respirable dust to pass through to be
captured on the filter paper.
• Filter Sampling Respirable Dust (Alternative Method) The Cyclone
Sampler uses a cyclonic action to separate out the fine respirable dust
which is captured on a filter paper mounted inside a cassette at the top of
the sampler. The larger dust particles drop into a ‘grit pot’ mounted at the
bottom of the sampler.
• Bag Sampling
• Particularly suitable for 'grab' or Short Term Samples (STS), the air is
passed through a sample pump into a special plastic bag. Alternative
methods of filling a bag without passing air through a pump can also be
used. The bag, containing a relatively large volume of sampled air, is then
taken to the laboratory for analysis.
• Sorbent Sampling
Sorbents are normally contained in a small glass tube with sealed ends. Air is
drawn through the sorbent, which adsorbs molecules of the gas or vapour to be
sampled. The trapped contaminants are released from the sorbent (desorbed),
for laboratory analysis, using solvent washing or heat. One of the most
common sorbents is activated charcoal.
• Impinger/Bubble Sampling Air drawn into the impinger is forced through
a nozzle, which is covered by a liquid such as high purity water. The
pollutant dissolves in the liquid and is subsequently analysed, usually by
colorimetric techniques.
• The Sample Train The sample train is the name given to the combination
of a pump, flexible tube and sampling device when connected together.
The figures below give examples of sampling trains.
• Sampling Device Check List
• • Ensure the pump is fully charged.
• • Treat the collection media with care.
• • Calibrate in a clean area to avoid contamination of the collection media.
• • Ensure the flow rate is set at the correct level required for the sampling device or methodology.
• • Ensure that all connections are leakproof and secure.
• • Mount the sampler in the “breathing zone”.
• • Ensure the flexible tube is not left to hang free.
• • Note the start and finish time.
• And finally... • Always note the sample start and stop time.
• • Don’t forget to record the sample media, person sampled, time, date and location together,
preferably on a form.
• • Remember – the result is only as good as the sample taken.
 difficulties faced in air sampling
• Difficulties are encountered due to high temperature, lack of uniformity in
the composition of gas flow and difference in speed due to disturbances.
Hence to avoid error, the gas stream should be sampled at several points
and maximum number of samples should be taken to get the average
value.
• If the sampling frame is large random sampling may be impractical.
• A complete list of the population may not be available.
• Minority subgroups within the population may not be present in sample.
• Stack sampling Techniques
• Stack sampling or source sampling may be defined as a method of
collecting representative samples of pollutant laden air/gases at the place
of origin of pollutants to determine the total amount of pollutants emitted
into the atmosphere from a given source in a given time.
• Stack sampling, also known as emissions testing, is a process for
evaluating the characteristics of a waste gas stream that is released to the
atmosphere. The gas stream may contain solid, liquid, or gas pollutants.
 How to do stack sampling?
• The sampling probe is
inserted through the ports
into the stack, and sampling
is conducted at various
locations along the diameter
of the stack. The number of
sampling points is also
dictated by RMI. After the
traverse is completed at one
port, the probe is withdrawn
and the same process is
repeated at the other port.
What are the parameters for stack monitoring?
• Parameters required to be monitored in the stack emissions using Continuous
Emission Monitoring system, are industry specific and are specified below: -
• a) PM (Particulate Matter)
• b) HF (as Total Fluoride)
• c) NH3 (as Ammonia)
• d) SO2 (Sulphur Dioxide)
• e) NOX (Oxides of Nitrogen as NO2)
• f) Cl2 (Chlorine) g)
• G) SPM (MICRO GMS)
 Sampling of particulate air
pollutants
What are the methods used for sampling of
particulate air pollutants?
• Particulate air sampling techniques include filtration, electrostatic precipitation, thermal precipitation,
gravitational settling, centrifugal separation, and impingement. When the concentration of the radioactive
component is high, the sampling procedure is simple.
• A particulate matter sampler is an instrument for measuring the properties (such as mass concentration or
chemical composition) of particulates in the ambient air.
• The most common instruments for measuring particulate matter measure either its concentration or size
distribution. The most accurate measurements are obtained from instruments that use a gravimetric (weighing)
method.
• Particulate matter is collected using equipment that separates out the size fraction of concern.
PM filtration consists of four mechanical processes: diffusion, interception, inertial impaction, and electrostatics
• END OF UNIT 3