A wipe sampler for the quantitative measurement of dust on smooth surfaces: laboratory performance studies

A flat surface wipe sampler has been developed to quantitatively measure the concentration (micrograms/g) and surface loading (micrograms/cm2) of dust on flat surfaces. The Lioy-Weisel-Wainman (LWW) Sampler has been tested under conditions that controlled particle deposition in a chamber for two types of particles: road dust and potting soil, and for three different types of surfaces: painted shelving, formica, and wood paneling. The results for replicate analyses demonstrated that the sampler had > 90% efficiency for the capture of deposited dust and had a coefficient of variation of < 20% for replicate samples of the wooden shelving and formica. The wood paneling had a higher coefficient of variation, although it was less than 25%, due to its porosity. Operating procedures are presented and illustrated, and results from a study that used the technique to sample chromium from residential settings are also discussed.