title: Field comparison of inhalable and total dust samplers for assessing airborne dust in swine confinement barns.
abstract: Inhalable and total dust sampling devices were compared for evaluating airborne dust in swine confinement buildings. Measurements from three swine facilities (n = 77 paired means) were obtained by area sampling using the IOM (Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, U.K.) inhalable dust sampler and a 37-mm closed-face total (TCF) dust sampler. The overall geometric mean IOM concentration (1.18 mg/m(3), geometric standard deviation [GSD] = 2.00) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than the overall geometric mean TCF concentration (1.08 mg/m(3), GSD = 1.98). Regression analysis with IOM and TCF values as independent and dependent variables, respectively, yielded a factor of 0.86 (+/-0.04 95% confidence interval), which can be used to estimate TCF values from the IOM measurements. Additional paired sampling data were obtained to compare the following pairs of dust samplers: (1) IOM sampler and conical inhalable sampler (CIS) (n = 20 paired means), (2) IOM and open-face total (TOF) dust samplers (n = 14), (3) CIS and TCF samplers (n = 19), and (4) TCF and TOF samplers (n = 8). Paired t-tests showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher IOM concentrations than the CIS sampler; no significant difference (P > 0.05) was found for the other three pairs compared. It may be necessary to establish work-specific conversion coefficients to obtain a reasonable estimate of worker exposure to total dust from measurements using other types of dust sampling devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA.
authors.forename: Bernardo Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Predicala
authors.forename: Ronaldo G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Maghirang
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D007615:Kansas; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust