Measuring the concentration of suspended particles (PM10) in the indoor environment using the automatic monitors

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to determine the applicability of the automatic monitors for measuring the indoor air pollution with suspended particles, PM10 fraction. The measurement results of the automatic monitor were compared with the results obtained by the reference gravimetric method. Comparative measurements over a period of 50 days were carried out during the winter of 2012 in the Laboratory of Applied Electronics in the Mining and Metallurgy Institute Bor. The analysis showed that there is a strong correlation (R2 = 0.61) between the mean hourly PM10 concentrations, measured by the automatic monitors. The OSIRIS monitor underestimates the 24-h mean PM10 concentrations (the average of 30%) compared to the reference gravimetric method. Contrary to that, the EPAM-5000 monitor overestimates the 24-h mean PM10 concentrations (the average of 40%) compared to the reference gravimetric method. Calibration of the automatic monitors was made on the basis of the results obtained by the gravimetric method. It was determined that both examined automatic monitors are applicable for indicative measurements of PM10 concentrations in the indoor environment. In order to use these automatic monitors in the air pollution health impact studies, it is necessary to calibrate them, on daily basis, with the reference gravimetric method.

Keywords

• suspended particles
• gravimetry
• measurement
• automatic monitor