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A Sampling Approach for Evaluating Particle Loss During Continuous Field Measurement of Particulate Matter
Author(s) -
Noble Christopher A.,
Lawless Philip A.,
Rodes Charles E.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
particle and particle systems characterization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.877
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1521-4117
pISSN - 0934-0866
DOI - 10.1002/ppsc.200490014
Subject(s) - scanning mobility particle sizer , sampling (signal processing) , particle (ecology) , particulates , environmental science , sampling bias , sample (material) , particle size , line (geometry) , field (mathematics) , particle size distribution , computational physics , sample size determination , statistics , physics , optics , chemistry , mathematics , detector , geology , geometry , oceanography , organic chemistry , pure mathematics , thermodynamics
Abstract A method for evaluating sample bias in field measurements is presented. Experiments were performed in the field and laboratory to quantify the bias as a function of particle size for the scanning mobility particle sizer and the aerodynamic particle sizer. Sources of bias and sample loss considered in this work were sampling line loss, instrumental differences and inlet efficiencies. Measurement of the bias and sample loss allow for correction of the data acquired in the field, so as to obtain more representative samples of atmospheric concentrations. Substantial losses of fine and ultrafine particle count were observed, with sampling line losses ranging from 10–50 %, dependent on particle size. Only minor line losses were observed for coarse particles (approximately 5 %) because the sampling line was oriented vertically. Please note: corrected DOI, in print wrong DOI (10.1002/ppsc.200400939)