A report in September by the European Environment Agency revealed that almost a third of the people living in Europe’s cities are exposed to excessive concentrations of airborne particulate matter (PM), a dangerous pollutant that penetrates sensitive parts of the respiratory system.
The report was, according to Colin Craggs of instrumentation specialist Air Monitors, a timely reminder of the dangers posed by particulates and which coincidentally came at the same as the UK launches of a fixed area dust/aerosol monitor for continuous monitoring and a portable monitor for personal exposure at multiple locations.
Both instruments are manufactured by Thermo Scientific and Craggs added: “National ambient monitoring systems are already in place and strict regulations restrict the PM emissions from industry and vehicles. However, employers have a duty of care to protect their staff, so accurate monitoring of the workplace is essential.”
The new products are the latest versions of techniques for monitoring particulate exposure in industrial and occupational safety applications including COSHH/NIOSH assessments. Both the ADR-1500 area dust monitor and the pDR-1500 personal aerosol monitor employ light scattering photometers (nephelometers) with relative humidity compensation and true volumetric flow control to provide real-time results with optional gravimetric validation.
For use in a number of applications, the instruments’ measurement range covers all particulates from PM-1 to PM-10. Weighing in at 13kg, the ADR-1500 has a weather-proof IP65 housing and a handle for easy transport while the pDR-1500 allows occupational safety managers and consultants to conduct surveys to assess the levels of risk.
