Surface dust methods

Diverse techniques have been employed to identify the sources of elements in atmospheric dust (and surface dust) (Table V). Some involve considering trends in concentration and others use various statistical methods. The degree of sophistication and detail obtained from the analyses increases from top left to bottom right of the Table. The sources identified as contributing the elements in rural and urban atmospheric dusts are detailed in Table VI. The principal sources are crustal material, soil, coal and oil combustion emissions, incinerated refuse emissions, motor vehicle emissions, marine spray, cement and concrete weathering, mining and metal working emissions. Many elements occur in more than one source, and they are classified in the... 

Table V Methods of Identifying Sources of Elements in Aerosols and Surface Dust...

Popendorf et al. (1975) suggested a relationship between respiratory exposure and organic foliar dust released from the foliage due to crop disturbance therefore, it was hypothesized that crop density may be associated with both dermal and respiratory exposure. However, in the present study, no such relationship could be observed. This may be due to the large variation in the method used to determine crop volumes. Improvement of the crop-volume/leaf-surface-area method may contribute to the clarification of whether crop density can be considered a determinant of re-entry exposure. 

The most frequently used methods for sampling indoor surface dust for SVOC/ POM analysis is simply to use dust from a vacuum cleaner dust bag, see for example, Krause, Chutsch and Englert (1989), or a special vacuum cleaner mouthpiece containing a filter, see for example, 0ie, Hersoug and Madsen (1997). Both the mouth-piece and the filter should be cleaned prior to use. It must be assured that the SVOCs and POMs of interest are quantitatively captured by the filter (e.g., phthalates are quantitatively captured by quartz fiber filters (Clausen and Wolkoffi 1997b)) and that the vacuum cleaner exhaust does not contaminate the samples with for example, phthalates. However, the vacuum cleaner sampling method is probably very dependent on the sampling conditions (e.g., carpet or hard floor... 

Demyanek, M.L., G.R. Dunmyre and G.S. Casuccio (1995). Investigation of adhesive lift sampling technology used for evaluation of lead in surface dust, in Lead in Paint, Soil and Dust Health Risks, Exposure Studies, Measurement Methods and Quality Assurance, M.E. Beard and A.S.D. Iske (Eds), American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohoken, PA, USA, STP 1226, pp. 249-267. 

LIBS demonstrated a great capacity for accurate analysis of samples of various compositions, even for in-situ sampling of soils that may exhibit surface dust accumulation. LIBS remote sensing capabilities also make this method an attractive option for a variety of soils analysis and agronomic applications. The ability to obtain immediate results from analyses allows for on-site evaluation of contaminants or pollutants, which can be particularly useful for environmental and... 

Conserva.tlon, The objectives ia the treatment of stone objects are primarily cleaning, stabilization, consoHdation, repair, and restoration (132—135). Cleaning can vary from a light dusting to the removal of stubborn grime and stains with solvents and detergents. The latter can be appHed usiag a poultice method to iacrease the efficiency with which the extraneous material is removed from below the surface of the stone. 

---