Development of a Personal Sampler for Nanoparticles

描述（由申请人提供）：纳米材料由于其独特的物理化学特性和广泛的应用，其产量不断增加。人们非常关注接触这些纳米粒子对健康的潜在影响。由于纳米材料的体积小，表面积大，许多研究表明，纳米材料的生物效应比相同化学成分的块状材料更大。2005年，NIOSH建议细二氧化钛的暴露限值为1.5 mg/m3，超细二氧化钛的暴露限值为0.1 mg/m3，作为每周工作40小时，每天10小时的时间加权平均浓度（TWA）。然而，目前还没有合适的个人采样器能够评估超细或纳米颗粒的暴露水平。本研究的总体目标是开发一种能够在职业环境中收集超细颗粒（纳米颗粒）的个人采样器。该采样器包括一个用于可吸入颗粒分类的旋风分离器，一个带有加速喷嘴的聚碳酸酯轨迹蚀刻（PCTE）膜过滤器，用于实现纳米颗粒分类，以及一个用于收集纳米颗粒的备用过滤器。通过在喷嘴中施加较高的局部过滤速度，可以避免纳米颗粒在PCTE分级过滤器中扩散沉积，并在下游备用过滤器中收集纳米颗粒。这项研究将导致一种独特的个人采样设备的发展，该设备能够从气溶胶流中分类纳米颗粒部分（d 100 nm），并收集该部分用于重量、化学和其他分析。该装置可用于准确评估个人暴露于纳米粒子的质量浓度和物理化学特性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Production of nanomaterials has increased continuously because of their unique physicochemical characteristics and extensive applications. There are great concerns for the potential health effects of exposure to these nanoparticles. Because of nanomaterials' small sizes and large surface areas, many studies have shown that the biological effects of nanomaterials are greater than bulk material of the same chemical composition. In 2005, the NIOSH recommended exposure limits of 1.5 mg/m3 for fine TiO2 and 0.1 mg/m3 for ultrafine TiO2, as time-weighted average concentrations (TWA) for up to 10 hr/day during a 40-hr work week. However, there are no suitable personal samplers capable of assessing the exposure level of ultrafine or nanoparticles. The overall objective of this study is to develop a personal sampler capable of collecting the ultrafine particles (nanoparticles) in the occupational environment. This sampler consists of a cyclone for respirable particle classification, a polycarbonate track-etched (PCTE) membrane filter with an acceleration nozzle to achieve nanoparticle classification, and a backup filter to collect nanoparticles. By applying high and localized filtration velocity in the nozzle, diffusion deposition of nanoparticles can be avoided in the classifying PCTE filter, and nanoparticles can be collected in the downstream backup filter. This research will lead to the development of a unique personal sampling device capable of classifying the nanoparticle fraction (d 100 nm) from the aerosol stream and collecting this fraction for gravimetric, chemical, and other analyses. This device can be used to accurately assess personal exposure to nanoparticles in terms of mass concentration and physicochemical characteristics. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The overall objective is to develop a personal sampler capable of collecting the ultrafine particle (nanoparticle) fraction of the aerosol in an occupation environment. It can be used to assess personal exposure to nanoparticles in terms of mass concentration and physicochemical characteristics.