Laboratory validation and field verification of a new passive air monitoring badge for sampling ethylene oxide in air.
A new diffusion colorimetric air monitoring badge for sampling ethylene oxide is described. The Du Pont Pro-Tek C-70 badge has been laboratory validated over the range of 4-375 ppm-hours (0.5-47 ppm on an 8-hour TWA) using standard spectrophotometer readout in 1 centimeter (10 mm) cells. The lower range can be extended to 2 ppm-hours (0.25 ppm) by using 4 cm (40 mm) cells. The badge has an overall sampling and analytical method accuracy of +/- 13.5%. It meets NIOSH accuracy criteria and has a mean coefficient of variation CVT = 0.059. The badge has no temperature, pressure, relative humidity or face velocity effects over practical ranges. The response time is adequate to sample peak concentrations over short time periods. The badge may be used to determine ambient formaldehyde levels if suspected to be present along with ethylene oxide. Badges are shown to agree very well with the industry accepted and proposed ASTM pump/charcoal tube method in three extensive plant field tests. Badges were more precise than the charcoal tube/pump method in all field tests conducted.
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D002712:Chlorides; D004058:Diffusion; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005027:Ethylene Oxide / Q000032:analysis*; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006813:Humidity; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D002712:Chlorides; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005027:Ethylene Oxide; C024555:ferric chloride