title: Guidance on choosing a measuring instrument for indoor particle pollution studies.
abstract: The possibility of acquiring real-time concentration data is leading many indoor air quality and health researchers to the use of particle measuring instruments instead of the classic filtration approach. This paper summarizes a checklist of characteristics that have to be considered on the selection of such instruments and checks the compliance of three air monitoring devices suitable for environmental exposure researches. An evaluation table with desirable instrument technical, economic, and logistics characteristics was summarized in a checklist, and spec sheets of three air monitoring devices suitable for environmental exposure researches were checked. Technical, economic, and logistics aspects have to be considered. Suitability, measurement range, accuracy, resolution, and robustness are indispensable metrological characteristics. Only one instrument was in comply with it. A popular air monitoring device among environmental exposure researchers was checked and it failed the accuracy check. When selecting a particle measuring instrument, technical, economic, and logistics aspects have to be considered. Suitability, measurement range, accuracy, resolution, and robustness are indispensable metrological characteristics. When selecting an instrument for a study, a lack of information on the quality of results is a strong indication that it should not be considered, as study's response may be compromised.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Mechanical Engineering, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Sarmento Leite 425 Centro Histórico, 90046-902, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. marinaseelig@mecanica.ufrgs.br
authors.forename: Marina Fonseca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Seelig
authors.forename: Adriane Prisco
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Petry
authors.forename: Paulo Smith
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005374:Filtration; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter