Peter C. Raynor

Assessing Potential Nanoparticle Release During Nanocomposite Shredding Using Direct-Reading Instruments

This study was conducted to determine if engineered nanoparticles are released into the air when nanocomposite parts are shredded for recycling. Test plaques made from polypropylene resin reinforced with either montmorillonite nanoclay or talc and from the same resin with no reinforcing material were shredded by a granulator inside a test apparatus. As the plaques were shredded, an ultrafine condensation particle counter; a diffusion charger; a photometer; an electrical mobility analyzer; and an optical particle counter measured number, lung-deposited surface area, and mass concentrations and size distributions by number in real-time. Overall, the particle levels produced were both stable and lower than found in some occupational environments. Although the lowest particle concentrations were observed when the talc-filled plaques were shredded, fewer nanoparticles were generated from the nanocomposite plaques than when the plain resin plaques were shredded. For example, the average particle number concentrations measured using the ultrafine condensation particle counter were 1300 particles/cm3 for the talc-reinforced resin, 4280 particles/cm3 for the nanoclay-reinforced resin, and 12,600 particles/cm3 for the plain resin. Similarly, the average alveolar-deposited particle surface area concentrations measured using the diffusion charger were 4.0 μm2/cm3 for the talc-reinforced resin, 8.5 μm2/cm3 for the nanoclay-reinforced resin, and 26 μm2/cm3 for the plain resin. For all three materials, count median diameters were near 10 nm during tests, which is smaller than should be found from the reinforcing materials. These findings suggest that recycling of nanoclay-reinforced plastics does not have a strong potential to generate more airborne nanoparticles than recycling of conventional plastics.

Development of a method for bacteria and virus recovery from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) filters.

The aim of the work presented here is to study the effectiveness of building air handling units (AHUs) in serving as high volume sampling devices for airborne bacteria and viruses. An HVAC test facility constructed according to ASHRAE Standard 52.2-1999 was used for the controlled loading of HVAC filter media with aerosolized bacteria and virus. Nonpathogenic Bacillus subtilis var. niger was chosen as a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis. Three animal viruses; transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), avian pneumovirus (APV), and fowlpox virus were chosen as surrogates for three human viruses; SARS coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and smallpox virus; respectively. These bacteria and viruses were nebulized in separate tests and injected into the test duct of the test facility upstream of a MERV 14 filter. SKC Biosamplers upstream and downstream of the test filter served as reference samplers. The collection efficiency of the filter media was calculated to be 96.5 +/- 1.5% for B. subtilis, however no collection efficiency was measured for the viruses as no live virus was ever recovered from the downstream samplers. Filter samples were cut from the test filter and eluted by hand-shaking. An extraction efficiency of 105 +/- 19% was calculated for B. subtilis. The viruses were extracted at much lower efficiencies (0.7-20%). Our results indicate that the airborne concentration of spore-forming bacteria in building AHUs may be determined by analyzing the material collected on HVAC filter media, however culture-based analytical techniques are impractical for virus recovery. Molecular-based identification techniques such as PCR could be used.

The long-term performance of electrically charged filters in a ventilation system

The efficiency and pressure drop of filters made from polyolefin fibers carrying electrical charges were compared with efficiency and pressure drop for filters made from uncharged glass fibers to determine if the efficiency of the charged filters changed with use. Thirty glass fiber filters and 30 polyolefin fiber filters were placed in different, but nearly identical, air-handling units that supplied outside air to a large building. Using two kinds of real-time aerosol counting and sizing instruments, the efficiency of both sets of filters was measured repeatedly for more than 19 weeks while the air-handling units operated almost continuously. Pressure drop was recorded by the ventilation systems computer control. Measurements showed that the efficiency of the glass fiber filters remained almost constant with time. However, the charged polyolefin fiber filters exhibited large efficiency reductions with time before the efficiency began to increase again toward the end of the test. For particles 0.6 μm in diameter, the efficiency of the polyolefin fiber filters declined from 85% to 45% after 11 weeks before recovering to 65% at the end of the test. The pressure drops of the glass fiber filters increased by about 0.40 in. H 2 O, whereas the pressure drop of the polyolefin fiber filters increased by only 0.28 in. H 2 O. The results indicate that dust loading reduces the effectiveness of electrical charges on filter fibers.

Background culturable bacteria aerosol in two large public buildings using HVAC filters as long term, passive, high-volume air samplers

Background culturable bacteria aerosols were collected and identified in two large public buildings located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Seattle, Washington over a period of 5 months and 3 months, respectively. The installed particulate air filters in the ventilation systems were used as the aerosol sampling devices at each location. Both pre and final filters were collected from four air handing units at each site to determine the influence of location within the building, time of year, geographical location and difference between indoor and outdoor air. Sections of each loaded filter were eluted with 10 ml of phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The resulting solutions were cultured on blood agar plates and incubated for 24 h at 36 degrees C. Various types of growth media were then used for subculturing, followed by categorization using a BioLog MicroStation (Biolog, Hayward, CA, USA) and manual observation. Environmental parameters were gathered near each filter by the embedded on-site environmental monitoring systems to determine the effect of temperature, humidity and air flow. Thirty nine different species of bacteria were identified, 17 found only in Minneapolis and 5 only in Seattle. The hardy spore-forming genus Bacillus was the most commonly identified and showed the highest concentrations. A significant decrease in the number of species and their concentration occurred in the Minneapolis air handling unit supplying 100% outdoor air in winter, however no significant correlations between bacteria concentration and environmental parameters were found.

Detection of viruses in used ventilation filters from two large public buildings

Background Viral and bacterial pathogens may be present in the air after being released from infected individuals and animals. Filters are installed in the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems of buildings to protect ventilation equipment and maintain healthy indoor air quality. These filters process enormous volumes of air. This study was undertaken to determine the utility of sampling used ventilation filters to assess the types and concentrations of virus aerosols present in buildings. Methods The HVAC filters from 2 large public buildings in Minneapolis and Seattle were sampled to determine the presence of human respiratory viruses and viruses with bioterrorism potential. Four air-handling units were selected from each building, and a total of 64 prefilters and final filters were tested for the presence of influenza A, influenza B, respiratory syncytial, corona, parainfluenza 1-3, adeno, orthopox, entero, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, Machupo, eastern equine encephalitis, western equine encephalitis, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses. Representative pieces of each filter were cut and eluted with a buffer solution. Results Attempts were made to detect viruses by inoculation of these eluates in cell cultures (Vero, MDCK, and RK-13) and specific pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs. Two passages of eluates in cell cultures or these eggs did not reveal the presence of any live virus. The eluates were also examined by polymerase chain reaction or reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to detect the presence of viral DNA or RNA, respectively. Nine of the 64 filters tested were positive for influenza A virus, 2 filters were positive for influenza B virus, and 1 filter was positive for parainfluenza virus 1. Conclusion These findings indicate that existing building HVAC filters may be used as a method of detection for airborne viruses. As integrated long-term bioaerosol sampling devices, they may yield valuable information on the epidemiology and aerobiology of viruses in air that can inform the development of methods to prevent airborne transmission of viruses and possible deterrents against the spread of bioterrorism agents.

Determination of Particle Concentration Rankings by Spatial Mapping of Particle Surface Area, Number, and Mass Concentrations in a Restaurant and a Die Casting Plant

Measurements using several exposure metrics were carried out in a restaurant and a die casting plant to compare the spatial distributions of particle surface area (SA), number, and mass concentrations and rank exposures in different areas by those metrics. The different exposure metrics for incidental nanoparticle and fine particle exposures were compared using the concentration rankings, statistical differences between areas, and concentration ratios between different areas. In the die casting plant, area concentration rankings and spatial distributions differed by the exposure metrics chosen. Surface area and fine particle number concentrations were greatest near incidental nanoparticle sources and were significantly different between three areas. However, mass and coarse particle number concentrations were similar throughout the facility, and rankings of the work areas based on these metrics were different from those of SA and fine number concentrations. In the restaurant, concentrations in the kitchen for all metrics except respirable mass concentration were significantly greater than in the serving area, although SA and fine particle number concentrations showed larger differences between the two areas than either the mass or coarse particle number concentrations. Thus, the choice of appropriate exposure metric has significant implications for exposure groupings in epidemiologic and occupational exposure studies.

Concentration, Size Distribution, and Infectivity of Airborne Particles Carrying Swine Viruses

When pathogens become airborne, they travel associated with particles of different size and composition. Particle size determines the distance across which pathogens can be transported, as well as the site of deposition and the survivability of the pathogen. Despite the importance of this information, the size distribution of particles bearing viruses emitted by infectious animals remains unknown. In this study we characterized the concentration and size distribution of inhalable particles that transport influenza A virus (IAV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) generated by acutely infected pigs and assessed virus viability for each particle size range. Aerosols from experimentally infected pigs were sampled for 24 days using an Andersen cascade impactor able to separate particles by size (ranging from 0.4 to 10 micrometer (μm) in diameter). Air samples collected for the first 9, 20 and the last 3 days of the study were analyzed for IAV, PRRSV and PEDV, respectively, using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantified as geometric mean copies/m3 within each size range. IAV was detected in all particle size ranges in quantities ranging from 5.5x102 (in particles ranging from 1.1 to 2.1μm) to 4.3x105 RNA copies/m3 in the largest particles (9.0–10.0μm). PRRSV was detected in all size ranges except particles between 0.7 and 2.1μm in quantities ranging from 6x102 (0.4–0.7μm) to 5.1x104 RNA copies/m3 (9.0–10.0μm). PEDV, an enteric virus, was detected in all particle sizes and in higher quantities than IAV and PRRSV (p < 0.0001) ranging from 1.3x106 (0.4–0.7μm) to 3.5x108 RNA copies/m3 (9.0–10.0μm). Infectious status was demonstrated for the 3 viruses, and in the case of IAV and PRRSV, viruses were isolated from particles larger than 2.1μm. In summary, our results indicated that airborne PEDV, IAV and PRRSV can be found in a wide range of particle sizes. However, virus viability is particle size dependent.

Evaporation of Polydisperse Multicomponent Oil Droplets

During machining, polydisperse mist droplets are generated from multicomponent oils used as metalworking fluids. As these droplets travel with an airstream, they are subject to evaporation. The resulting vapor will pass through mist collectors and enter factory air where it may recondense on particles or surfaces, be inhaled by workers, or be emitted to the atmosphere. Maxwells equation for evaporation of an isolated drop can be used to model the evaporation of polydisperse multicomponent oil droplets at normal temperatures. Within each droplet size, relationships describing the change in mass with time for small droplets (diameter<20 µm) are numerically integrated over time for the most prevalent compounds in the oil. Decreases or increases in mass for individual droplets are linked by their combined influence on vapor concentrations. Experiments conducted with mineral oil mist demonstrate that the model predicts evaporation accurately. The model indicates that under some conditions as much as 65% of th...

Performance of Industrial Equipment to Collect Coolant Mist

A protocol was developed to evaluate collector performance in the laboratory under conditions that simulate plant practice. Eight collector manufacturers provided nine samples of their products, each designed to handle 1700 m3/hr (1000 ft3/min) of airflow. Each collector was tested using mists of mineral oil, soluble oil, and synthetic fluid; for a three-stage collector, tests with each metalworking fluid lasted for thirteen 24-hour days. For each collector stage as well as for each assembled collector, tests established the relationship between efficiency and droplet diameter for droplets from less than 0.3 to about 6 µm in diameter. Substantial differences in efficiency and pressure drop were found among the stages and assembled collectors. Some metal mesh filters worked well as first stages, whereas pocket filters, one cartridge filter, and an electrostatic precipitator worked well as second stages. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA), 95% dioctyl phthalate (DOP), and candle filters provided excelle...

Association of Airborne Virus Infectivity and Survivability with its Carrier Particle Size

Although laboratory generated virus aerosols have been widely studied in terms of infectivity and survivability, how they are related to particle size, especially in the submicron size range, is little understood. Four viruses (MS2 bacteriophage, transmissible gastroenteritis virus, swine influenza virus, and avian influenza virus) were aerosolized, size classified (100–450 nm) using a differential mobility analyzer (DMA), and collected onto gelatin filters. Uranine dye was also nebulized with the virus, serving as a particle tracer. Virus infectivity assay and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were then used to quantify the amount of infectious virus and total virus present in the samples, respectively. The virus distribution was found to be better represented by the particle volume distribution rather than the particle number distribution. The capacity for a particle to carry virus increased with the particle size and the relationship could be described by a power law. Virus survivability was dependent on virus type and particle size. Survivability of the three animal viruses at large particle size (300–450 nm) was significantly higher than at particle size close to the size of the virion (100–200 nm), which could be due to the shielding effect. The data suggest that particle size plays an important role in infectivity and survivability of airborne viruses and may, therefore, have an impact on the airborne transmission of viral illness and disease. The data in this study do not support the use of MS2 bacteriophage as a general surrogate for animal and human viruses. Copyright 2013 American Association for Aerosol Research