Comparison of fine particle measurements from a direct-reading instrument and a gravimetric sampling method

Particulate air pollution, specifically the fine particle fraction (PM2.5), has been associated with increased cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality in general population studies. Occupational exposure to fine particulate matter can exceed ambient levels by a large factor. Due to increased interest in the health effects of particulate matter, many particle sampling methods have been developed In this study, two such measurement methods were used simultaneously and compared. PM2.5 was sampled using a filter-based gravimetric sampling method and a direct-reading instrument, the TSI Inc. model 8520 DUSTTRAK aerosol monitor. Both sampling methods were used to determine the PM2.5 exposure in a group of boilermakers exposed to welding fumes and residual fuel oil ash. The geometric mean PM2.5 concentration was 0.30 mg/m3 (GSD 3.25) and 0.31 mg/m3 (GSD 2.90)from the DUSTTRAK and gravimetric method, respectively. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient for the gravimetric and DUSTTRAK PM2.5 concentrations was 0.68. Linear regression models indicated that log, DUSTTRAK PM2.5 concentrations significantly predicted loge gravimetric PM2.5 concentrations (p < 0.01). The association between log(e) DUSTTRAK and log, gravimetric PM2.5 concentrations was found to be modified by surrogate measures for seasonal variation and type of aerosol. PM2.5 measurements from the DUSTTRAK are well correlated and highly predictive of measurements from the gravimetric sampling method for the aerosols in these work environments. However, results from this study suggest that aerosol particle characteristics may affect the relationship between the gravimetric and DUSTTRAK PM2.5 measurements. Recalibration of the DUSTTRAK for the specific aerosol, as recommended by the manufacturer, may be necessary to produce valid measures of airborne particulate matter.     

某全面通风除尘设备除尘效果评价

目的评价某全面通风除尘设备除尘效果,为推进机械行业职业病危害防护设备革新提供科学依据。方法在通风除尘设备关闭和开启两种条件下对电焊区粉尘浓度进行检测,并对两组粉尘浓度进行分析评价。结果通风除尘设备开启后粉尘浓度出现降低,粉尘超标率从75．0％下降到12．5％,平均粉尘浓度从4．9mg／m^3降到2．0mg／m^3,降低了59．2％。结论该全面通风除尘设备除尘效果良好,粉尘浓度得到了有效控制,具有在全市同类机械行业推广价值。     

口腔诊疗器械流程化管理的方法

目的探讨口腔诊疗器械实行科学,规范,有序的流程化管理的方法。方法根据科室对器械管理的要求以及诊位医生对器械的使用习惯及需要,制定、完善制度,各项护理操作实行流程化管理。结果实施口腔诊疗器械流程化管理后,使消毒,灭菌工作更顺利进行,也避免了个别器械丢失现象,又能满足医生专用器械的需要,增加了诊位护士直接护理时数。结论实施口腔诊疗器械流程化管理更有利于科室对器械的管理且满足临床医生对器械的需要,能为患者提供更安全优质的服务。     

Comparison of a direct-reading device to gravimetric methods for evaluating organic dust aerosols in an enclosed swine production environment

The production of livestock in enclosed facilities has become an accepted practice, driven by the need for increased efficiency. Exposure to organic dusts, containing various bioactive components, has been identified an important risk factor for the high rate of lung disease found among workers in these environments. Assessment of organic dust exposure requires technical skills and instrumentation not readily available to most agricultural enterprises. Development of a simple, cost-effective method for measuring organic dust levels would be useful in evaluating and controlling exposures in these environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the direct reading MIE PDM-3 Miniram for estimating organic dust concentrations in enclosed swine production facilities. Responses from the MIE PDM-3 Miniram were compared to gravimetric methods for total and inhalable dust. Total dust determinations were conducted in accordance with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) method 0500. Inhalable particulate mass (IPM) sampling was conducted using SKC brand IOM (Institute of Occupational Medicine) sampling cassettes, which meet the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists ACGIH criteria for inhalable dust sampling. This study design also allowed for the comparison of traditional total dust method to the IPM method, in collecting organic dusts in an agricultural setting. Fifteen sets of side-by-side samples (Miniram, total dust, and IPM) were collected over a period of six months in a swine confinement building. There were statistically significant differences in the results provided by the three sampling methods. Measurements for inhalable dust exceeded those for total dust in eleven of fifteen samples. The Miniram time-weighted average (TWA) response to the organic dust was always the lower of the three methods. A high degree of correlation was found among all three methods. The Miniram performed well under field conditions of varying temperature and humidity. The Miniram has the potential to predict the inhalable and total dust concentrations, assuming a correction factor for the organic dust being measured is applied.     

The relation between subjective dust exposure estimates and quantitative dust exposure measurements in California agriculture

Measuring exposure levels for epidemiologic research is time consuming and expensive and therefore subjective exposure estimates are sometimes used instead. In this study we related the subjective dust exposure estimates of workers in California agriculture to personal dust exposure measurements. One hundred and twenty-four observations were available for comparison of subjective dust estimates and inhalable dust measurements and 129 observations for comparison of subjective dust estimates and respirable dust measurements. Individual subjective dust estimates showed weak to moderate correlations with measured dust concentrations for both the inhalable (R_s = 0.67) and respirable dust fraction (R_s = 0.36). The within-worker reliability coefficients were low (0.2 and 0.1, respectively). Grouped subjective dust estimates performed better and showed a consistent increase with average measured dust levels, in particular for the inhalable dust fraction (R² = 0.81). Age, the number of years working in agriculture, education level, the presence of any respiratory symptoms, and the language of the questionnaire did not have a significant independent effect on the relationship between measured dust levels and subjective dust estimates. California agricultural workers appear to be reasonably good at estimating inhalable dust levels, in particular if an average of many different workers is taken, but they are unable to provide good estimates of respirable dust levels. Measuring dust levels remains the preferred option. Am. J. Ind. Med. 32:355–363, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Application of PUF foam inserts for respirable dust measurements in the brick-manufacturing industry

Institute of Occupational Medicine dual-fraction samplers equipped with porous polyurethane foam inserts have been introduced as a cheaper alternative to cyclone pre-selectors for measuring respirable dust. Initial data from a variety of industries suggested that the dual-fraction sampler yielded similar results as personal cyclones and that the respirable selection of the foam was not adversely affected by particle loading. We conducted a similar study, but specifically in the brick industry to assess the validity of this dual-fraction sampler as an alternative to personal cyclones in this industry. A total of 72 side-by-side samples using Higgins-Dewell cyclones and dual-fraction samplers were taken in seven UK factories manufacturing a variety of bricks. A priori measurements were assigned to any of the three groups based on the dominant source of the particulates in the exposure matrix (clay, sand or mixed) at the location in the factories where the measurements were taken. After log transformation, Higgins-Dewell cyclone-measured concentrations were on average 1.9 times higher than the concentrations measured by the dual-fraction samplers, with a Pearson correlation of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.66-0.85). Stratified analysis by main source of exposure suggested that the correlation was best for silica dust-based exposures r(p) = 0.88 (0.63-0.96), but decreased with the relative importance of clay particulates in the exposure matrix to r(p) = 0.82 (0.59-0.93) in the 'mixed-source' group and r(p) = 0.74 (0.55-0.85) in the 'clay particulates' group. Similarly, performance of the dual-fraction sampler relative to the cyclone sampler was negatively associated with increased relative importance of clay particulates in the exposure matrix and ranged from similar measured concentration beta = 0.96 (0.54-1.39) for silica to 50% under sampling beta = 0.50 (0.33-0.67) for clay particulates. These results suggested that the overall performance of the dual-fraction sampler in the brick industry depends on the relative importance of clay particulates in the exposure matrix. As such, results from occupational hygiene compliance surveys close to the occupational exposure limit can lead to erroneous decisions on compliance.     

Methods of selection of hospital equipment.

With increasingly specialized and sophisticated equipment on the market, our procedures for evaluating possible alternative products must become more scientific and reliable than simply performing cost comparisons and depending on good faith.     

Methods to assess airborne concentrations of cotton dust

Assessment of concentrations of airborne cotton dust in the factory is necessary to determine adherence to applicable Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) on a day-to-day basis, as well as for investigatory studies of an epidemiological nature. The latter are required on an ongoing basis to determine the adequacy of PELs to prevent disease in the exposed population. A strategy of sampling includes considerations of the numbers of samples to be obtained for statistical validity and the locations of samples. Current practice is to obtain more "personal samples" of exposure wherever possible, but with regard to cotton dust, instrumentation is not available for such sampling. In the U.S., the vertical elutriator is the instrument of choice for determining the concentrations of cotton dust in air. Results are expressed as milligrams of airborne particulate (cotton dust) per cubic meter.     

完善实验室设备管理的方法与实践

在设备资产清查、设备档案的管理、完善采购合同信息、开发设备管理系统以及坚持以人为本的设备管理理念等几个方面,阐述了完善实验室设备管理的方法实践,以达到提高设备的使用效率的目的。     

A comparative field study on dust measurements by different sampling methods with emphasis on estimating factors for recalculation from chinese 'total dust' measurements to respirable dust concentrations

In China, dust samplers were originally designed to collect 'total dust' for a short term during production, which is different from the widely adopted sampling strategy for dust. With the aim to provide the conversion factor from Chinese total dust to US and German respirable dust and to look at the influences on conversion factors from environment, production, and instruments, a comparative field study on the dust concentration measurements by different sampling methods was carried out in the same Chinese industries as in the 1989-1990 study and in some other factories. A supplemental experiment was also conducted in a wind tunnel. Dust concentration was measured with a parallel sampling strategy by using the following samplers: 10-mm nylon cyclone for US respirable dust (AR), FSP-Berufsgenossenschaftliches Institut für Arbeitssicherheit (BIA) cyclone for German respirable dust (GR), and samplers for Chinese total dust (CT). Totally, 1434 samples were collected (269 AR, 198 GR, and 967 CT), from which 429 matched sample pairs (249 pairs of AR/CT, 180 GR/CT) were available to calculate conversion ratios. Industry- and job-based conversion factors are presented in this study. The conversion factor of AR/CT was 0.38 for tungsten mines, 0.19 for copper/iron mines, 0.65 for tin mines, and 0.20 for pottery industry, while the factor of GR/CT was 0.69 for tungsten, 0.37 for copper/iron, and 0.52 for pottery. In the job category, AR/CT factors varied from 0.16 to 0.96 and GR/CT from 0.12 to 0.72. For the industries studied in 1988-1989, the AR/CT and GR/CT factors were 0.29 and 0.45, respectively. Both factors were definitely influenced by production, CT dust concentration, sample gain, and variation of dust concentration. Moreover, the respirable dust concentration by FSP-BIA was significantly higher than that by 10-mm cyclones, 63.27-73.10% more as showed also by the wind tunnel experiment. Meanwhile, the GR/CT ratio was significantly larger than the AR/CT in every industry or job with only few exceptions. The GR/CT estimates should be considered as independent ones. Following these results, there is a need to use 'ideal samplers' (consistent with the internationally accepted respirable fraction) in practice and to assess the existent samplers in order to homogenize the exposure data situation.