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. 2010 Feb;60(2):204-9.
doi: 10.3155/1047-3289.60.2.204.

Use of passive diffusion tubes to monitor air pollutants

David G Nash  1 , David Leith
Affiliations

Use of passive diffusion tubes to monitor air pollutants

David G Nash et al. J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2010 Feb.

Abstract

Monitoring gas-phase pollutants is essential to understand exposure patterns and to establish a link between exposure and health. Measurement of the low concentrations found outdoors or in indoor living space normally requires large, expensive instruments that use electrical power. In this study, colorimetric passive diffusion tubes, normally used to monitor high concentrations of airborne contaminants in the workplace for sampling periods of a few hours, were evaluated to measure much lower concentrations of the same pollutants for periods of up to 1 wk. These tubes are small, inexpensive, and require no electrical power. Responses of diffusion tubes for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and benzene were studied. Low pollutant concentrations measured with passive diffusion tubes matched reasonably well with true concentrations for all pollutants except NO2. These results suggest that passive diffusion tubes can provide an inexpensive, unobtrusive, and effective method to monitor low pollutant concentrations. Passive diffusion tubes may be particularly useful in surveys where the spatial variability in concentrations is high and where the cost of traditional monitoring instruments is a concern.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic of diffusion tube testing set up.
Figure 2
Figure 2
CO concentrations from passive diffusion tubes versus true CO concentrations. Each data point represents a one week exposure to a particular CO concentration.
Figure 3
Figure 3
H2S concentrations from passive diffusion tubes versus true H2S concentrations. Each data point represents a one week exposure to a particular H2S concentration.
Figure 4
Figure 4
NO2 concentrations from passive diffusion tubes versus true NO2 concentrations. Each data point represents a one week exposure to a particular NO2 concentration.
Figure 5
Figure 5
SO2 concentrations from passive diffusion tubes versus true SO2 concentrations. Each data point represents a one week exposure to a particular SO2 concentration.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Benzene concentration from passive diffusion tubes versus true benzene concentration. Each data point represents a one week exposure to a particular benzene concentration.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Response of three passive diffusion tubes for benzene when exposed to a benzene concentration of 1.25 ppm for exposure times up to one week.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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