Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2020 Sep 18;17(18):6820.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17186820.

Recent Advances in Occupational Exposure Assessment of Aerosols

Martin Harper  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Recent Advances in Occupational Exposure Assessment of Aerosols

Martin Harper. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Exposure science is underpinned by characterization (measurement) of exposures. In this article, six recent advances in exposure characterization by sampling and analysis are reviewed as tools in the occupational exposure assessment of aerosols. Three advances discussed in detail are (1) recognition and inclusion of sampler wall deposits; (2) development of a new sampling and analytical procedure for respirable crystalline silica that allows non-destructive field analysis at the end of the sampling period; and (3) development of a new sampler to collect the portion of sub-300 nm aerodynamic diameter particles that would deposit in human airways. Three additional developments are described briefly: (4) a size-selective aerosol sampler that allows the collection of multiple physiologically-relevant size fractions; (5) a miniaturized pump and versatile sampling head to meet multiple size-selective sampling criteria; and (6) a novel method of sampling bioaerosols including viruses while maintaining viability. These recent developments are placed in the context of the historical evolution in sampling and analytical developments from 1900 to the present day. While these are not the only advances in exposure characterization, or exposure assessment techniques, they provide an illustration of how technological advances are adding more tools to our toolkit. The review concludes with a number of recommended areas for future research, including expansion of real-time and end-of-shift on-site measurement, development of samplers that operate at higher flow-rates to ensure measurement at lowered limit values, and development of procedures that accurately distinguish aerosol and vapor phases of semi-volatile substances.

Keywords: aerosols; air sampling; exposure assessment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author is an employee of a company (Zefon International, Inc.) and previously an employee of another company (SKC, Inc.), whose equipment is cited in this work. This article was written in the course of the authors’ employment with Zefon International, Inc. No other funding received.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Certificate of conformity of disposable inhalable sampler (DIS) foam to EN13205 from the UK health and Safety Laboratory.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Pleil J.D., Blount B.C., Waidyanatha S., Harper M. Establishing exposure science as a distinct scientific discipline. J. Expo. Sci. Environ. Epi. 2012;22:317–319. doi: 10.1038/jes.2012.5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Harper M., Pleil J.D., Blount B.C., Miller A., Weis C., Hoover M.D., Jahn S. Commentary on a more comprehensive vision and strategy for the discipline of exposure science. J. Expo. Sci. Environ. Epi. 2015;25:381–387. doi: 10.1038/jes.2014.91. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Maddox R.L. On the apparatus for collecting atmospheric particles. Mon. Microscop. J. 1870;1:286–290. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1870.tb01952.x. - DOI
    1. Fieldner A.C., Katz S.H., Longfellow E.S. The Sugar Tube Method of Determining Rock Dust in Air. Technical Paper 278; U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines; Washington, DC, USA: 1921. p. 42.
    1. Greenburg L., Smith G.W. A New Instrument for Sampling Aerial Dusts. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines; Washington, DC, USA: 1922. pp. 1077–1082. Reports of Investigations No. 2392.