title: Field evaluation of a passive sampler for assessing 2-ethoxyethyl acetate exposures.
abstract: This paper presents a field evaluation of a passive badge for measuring 2-ethoxyethyl acetate (2-EEAc) in a humid working environment. Forty-eight pairs of side-by-side active/passive 8-h full-shift personal samples were collected to evaluate the performance of a passive badge for monitoring 2-EEAc with the co-exposure of toluene and methyl iso-butyl ketone (MIBK) in a warm and humid workplace. Sixteen pairs of side-by-side passive badges, active charcoal tubes, and active charcoal tube with drying tube samples were also compared to evaluate the humidity effect in sampling. No statistical difference was found between the passive and active samples in assessing 2-EEAc. Linear regression showed the correlation to be high (r=0.987, slope=1.018, n=48) over the range 0.42-41.5 ppm. The mean concentration difference was 0.53 ppm and the mean relative error was 5.39%. Close correlation was also found between passive and active samples for assessing both toluene (r=0.949, slope=0.918, n=16), and MIBK (r=0.943, slope=1.098, n=16). Similar high correlation (r>0.962, n=16) was found among passive badges, active charcoal tubes, and active charcoal tube with drying tube samples. The humidity effect and the interference of co-exposure of polar and non-polar solvents were insignificant at a low sampling rate (26.6 ml/min) in assessing 2-EEAc exposures. The use of the passive samplers produces comparable findings to that of active sampling.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tung-Sheng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Ho-Yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hung-Hsin
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi-Shiao
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Saou-Hsing
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Liou
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D016014:Linear Models; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D013624:Taiwan; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; C022278:ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate