Design, evaluation, and validation of a next-generation inhalable aerosol sampler

下一代吸入气溶胶采样器的设计、评估和验证

• 批准号: 8520065
• 负责人: Theresa Renee Anthony
• 金额: $ 14.44万
• 依托单位: COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-07-01 至 2016-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8520065
• 关键词: Design; evaluation; validation; next; generation

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This work proposes to develop and test the performance of a low-cost, easy to use, disposable sampler to measure personal exposures to inhalable aerosols in the workplace. To improve the likelihood of future adoption by exposure assessors, the sampler will incorporate a redesign of the inlet cap of the 37-mm sampling cassette, the most commonly used particle sampler in the U.S. The sampler inlet will be designed to sample large particles with efficiency to match the international performance criterion for inhalable aerosol sampling. As such, the sampler will capture particles with the same efficiency as a worker's mouth and nose. This research will: (a) use computational fluid dynamics modeling tools to investigate how inlet geometries affect sampling efficiency, to optimize the sampler inlet, and to estimate an orientation-averaged sampling efficiency for the prototype sampler(s) to compare to the inhalable criterion; (b) investigate the sampling efficiency of the prototype sampler in a low-velocity wind tunnel and a calm-air chamber to quantify accuracy, precision, linearity, and internal losses, in controlled environments; and (c) field test and validate the sampler performance in three manufacturing settings and compare the sampling efficiencies to existing devices. Within the third aim, one of the worksites will examine both exposure and indicators of respiratory inflammation in the workers to examine whether exposures measured with the new inhalable sampler improve the measurements of association of health outcomes. This project addresses multiple NORA sectors (construction, manufacturing, refining, mining, and agriculture) as well as NORA Exposure Assessment cross-sector goals, including developing/improving methods to assess worker exposures to critical occupational agents and validation of these methods to provide and characterize their performance. The long-term outcome of this project includes the advancement of tools to improve exposure assessment evaluations. By increasing the adoption of physiologically-relevant exposure assessment tools, data-driven risk-based exposure limits for hazardous aerosols can be improved to protect worker health.

描述（由申请人提供）：这项工作旨在开发和测试一种低成本、易于使用的一次性采样器的性能，以测量工作场所可吸入气溶胶的个人暴露。为了提高暴露评估人员未来采用的可能性，采样器将重新设计37毫米采样盒的入口盖，这是美国最常用的颗粒采样器。采样器入口将被设计为有效地采样大颗粒，以符合可吸入气溶胶采样的国际性能标准。因此，采样器将以与工人的嘴和鼻子相同的效率捕获颗粒。这项研究将：（a）使用计算流体动力学建模工具来研究入口几何形状如何影响采样效率，优化采样器入口，并估计原型采样器的方向平均采样效率，以与可吸入标准进行比较;（B）研究原型采样器在低速风洞和静风室中的采样效率，以量化准确度、精确度、线性度，和内部损失;（c）在三个制造环境中实地测试和验证取样器的性能，并将取样效率与现有装置进行比较。在第三个目标中，其中一个工作地点将检查工人的暴露情况和呼吸道炎症指标，以检查使用新型可吸入采样器测量的暴露情况是否可以改善健康结果相关性的测量。该项目涉及多个诺拉部门（建筑、制造、炼油、采矿和农业）以及诺拉接触评估跨部门目标，包括开发/改进评估工人接触关键职业制剂的方法，并验证这些方法以提供和表征其性能。该项目的长期成果包括改进暴露评估评价的工具。通过更多地采用与生理相关的暴露评估工具，可以改进基于数据的危险气溶胶暴露限值，以保护工人健康。