A field comparison of inhalable and thoracic size selective sampling techniques

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Industrial Hygiene
• Environmental Monitoring

Background:

• Wood dust exposure is a concern in lumber mill settings.
• Accurate measurement of inhalable, thoracic, and total dust is crucial for worker protection.
• Existing sampling methods may yield variable results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare different particle-size selective samplers for wood dust exposure.
• To evaluate intersampler measurement ratios and variability.
• To assess the suitability of samplers for occupational settings.

Main Methods:

• Full-shift personal air sampling was conducted on randomly selected lumber mill workers in British Columbia.
• Particle-size selective sampling utilized the GSP, Seven hole inhalable sampler (SHS), PEM thoracic sampler, and 37-mm closed-face cassette sampler.
• Intersampler comparison data were obtained for GSP/37-mm, GSP/SHS, and PEM/37-mm sampler pairs.

Main Results:

• Intersampler ratios were GSP/37-mm = 4.2, GSP/SHS = 1.7, and PEM/37-mm = 1.6.
• PEM/37-mm and GSP/SHS ratios were higher than anticipated.
• Measurement variability was significant across all comparisons, increasing at lower dust concentrations.

Conclusions:

• The GSP sampler may overestimate exposure due to aspiration of extraneous particles or surface dust.
• The PEM sampler, designed for environmental monitoring, might be unsuitable for high occupational dust levels.
• Discrepancies in inhalable sampling techniques (e.g., GSP vs. SHS) warrant further research, especially concerning the adoption of inhalable methods as an industrial standard.