High-volume sampler, particulate measurement

Jutze, G. A., and K. E. Foster (TR-2 Air Pollution Measurements Committee). Recommended standard method for atmospheric sampling of fine particulate matter by filter media—high-volume sampler. J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc. 17 17-25, 1%7. 

It should be noted that the sampler used in the study, (a stacked filter unit), collected only particles less than 15pm aerodynamic diameter, i.e. particles of respirable size. State standards for TSP are based on High Volume samplers which have no inlet cutoff. Hence, particles as large as 100 microns can be captured by these instruments. Therefore, measurements made in this study may not indicate whether particulate standards have been violated, since a significant portion of the total suspended particulate mass is not measured by the stacked filter unit (SFU). 

The high-volume sampler has become the most widely used tool for monitoring particulate matter air pollution. It is a low-cost, portable, easily maintained, and reasonably precise sampling device. Improvements in sampler performance have resulted from incorporation of automatic timers, flowrate recorders, and size separation devices into the basic system. Although hi-vols are the accepted standard in particulate matter monitoring, they inherently lack the ability to provide realtime particulate matter measurements. 

---