Redesign of a static horizontal elutriator to perform according to the ISO 7708 respirable convention

A static horizontal elutriator (multi-channel elutriator C-30, Sibata Scientific Instruments Ltd, Tokyo) has been widely used as a dust size classifier for a low-volume air sampler in Japan. The sampler uses the historical criterion defined by the British Medical Research Council (BMRC). However, a new sampling convention based on the ISO 7708 respirable dust convention was recently introduced into the Japanese standard for work environment measurement. It is necessary to modify the multi-channel static horizontal elutriator to satisfy the ISO 7708 respirable convention. We propose a modification of the horizontal elutriator, involving the shortening of 11 of the 36 plates to meet the ISO 7708 respirable convention. The relationship between aerosol particle size and penetration for the elutriator was measured in calm air. The measured penetrations were compared with the calculated performance of the sampler and with the sampling convention for the ISO respirable dust. The calculated bias of sampled masses with respect to the ISO respirable mass was almost zero for the workplace aerosols.