T. Renée Anthony

A Personal Nanoparticle Respiratory Deposition (NRD) Sampler

A lightweight (60 g), personal nanoparticle respiratory deposition (NRD) sampler was developed to selectively collect particles smaller than 300 nm similar to their typical deposition in the respiratory tract. The sampler operates at 2.5 Lpm and consists of a respirable cyclone fitted with an impactor and a diffusion stage containing mesh screens. The cut-point diameter of the impactor was determined to be 300 nm with a sharpness σ = 1.53. The diffusion stage screens collect particles with an efficiency that matches the deposition efficiency of particles smaller than 300 nm in the respiratory tract. Impactor separation performance was unaffected by loading at typical workplace levels (p-value = 0.26). With chemical analysis of the diffusion media, the NRD sampler can be used to directly assess exposures to nanoparticles of a specific composition apart from other airborne particles. The pressure drop of the NRD sampler is sufficiently low to permit its operation with conventional, belt-mounted sampling pumps.

Indoor and outdoor particulate matter and endotoxin concentrations in an intensely agricultural county

The objectives of this study were to characterize rural populations’ indoor and outdoor exposure to particulate matter (PM)10, PM2.5, and endotoxin and identify factors that influence these concentrations. Samples were collected at 197 rural households over five continuous days between 2007 and 2011. Geometric mean (GM) indoor PM10 (21.2 μg/m3) and PM2.5 (12.2 μg/m3) concentrations tended to be larger than outdoor PM10 (19.6 μg/m3) and PM2.5 (8.2 μg/m3) concentrations (PM10 P=0.086; PM2.5 P<0.001). Conversely, GM outdoor endotoxin concentrations (1.93 EU/m−3) were significantly larger than indoor (0.32 EU/m3; P<0.001). Compared with measurements from previous urban studies, indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the study area tended to be smaller, whereas ambient endotoxin concentrations measured outside rural households were 3–10 times larger. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, seasonality did not have a significant effect on mean ambient PM10 concentrations; however, endotoxin concentrations in the autumn were almost seven times larger than winter. Excluding home cleanliness, the majority of agricultural and housing characteristics evaluated were found to be poorly associated with indoor and outdoor particulate and endotoxin concentrations.

Contribution of Facial Feature Dimensions and Velocity Parameters on Particle Inhalability

To examine whether the actual dimensions of human facial features are important to the development of a low-velocity inhalable particulate mass sampling criterion, this study evaluated the effect of facial feature dimensions (nose and lips) on estimates of aspiration efficiency of inhalable particles using computational fluid dynamics modeling over a range of indoor air and breathing velocities. Fluid flow and particle transport around four humanoid forms with different facial feature dimensions were simulated. All forms were facing the wind (0.2, 0.4 m s(-1)), and breathing was simulated with constant inhalation (1.81, 4.3, 12.11 m s(-1)). The fluid flow field was solved using standard k-epsilon turbulence equations, and laminar particle trajectories were used to determine critical areas defining inhaled particles. The critical areas were then used to compute the aspiration efficiency of the mouth-breathing humanoid. One-tailed t-tests indicated that models with larger nose and lip features resulted in significantly lower aspiration efficiencies than geometries with smaller features, but the shape of the orifice into the mouth (rounded rectangle versus elliptical) had no effect on aspiration efficiency. While statistically significant, the magnitudes of differences were small: on average, the large nose reduced aspiration efficiency by 6.5% and the large lips reduced aspiration efficiency by 3.2%. In comparison, a change in breathing velocity from at-rest to heavy increased aspiration efficiency by an average of 21% over all particle sizes, indicating a much greater impact of aspiration efficiency on breathing rate in the facing-the-wind orientation. Linear regression models confirmed that particle diameter and breathing velocity were significant predictors to the aspiration fraction, while the facial feature dimensions were not significant contributors to a unifying model. While these effects may be less pronounced as the orientation changes from facing-the-wind, their impact confirms the importance of breathing velocity and, to a lesser extent, facial feature dimensions on exposure estimates in low freestream velocities typical of occupational environments.

Solid versus Liquid Particle Sampling Efficiency of Three Personal Aerosol Samplers when Facing the Wind

The objective of this study was to examine the facing-the-wind sampling efficiency of three personal aerosol samplers as a function of particle phase (solid versus liquid). Samplers examined were the IOM, Button, and a prototype personal high-flow inhalable sampler head (PHISH). The prototype PHISH was designed to interface with the 37-mm closed-face cassette and provide an inhalable sample at 10 l min(-1) of flow. Increased flow rate increases the amount of mass collected during a typical work shift and helps to ensure that limits of detection are met, particularly for well-controlled but highly toxic species. Two PHISH prototypes were tested: one with a screened inlet and one with a single-pore open-face inlet. Personal aerosol samplers were tested on a bluff-body disc that was rotated along the facing-the-wind axis to reduce spatiotemporal variability associated with sampling supermicron aerosol in low-velocity wind tunnels. When compared to published data for facing-wind aspiration efficiency for a mouth-breathing mannequin, the IOM oversampled relative to mannequin facing-the-wind aspiration efficiency for all sizes and particle types (solid and liquid). The sampling efficiency of the Button sampler was closer to the mannequin facing-the-wind aspiration efficiency than the IOM for solid particles, but the screened inlet removed most liquid particles, resulting in a large underestimation compared to the mannequin facing-the-wind aspiration efficiency. The open-face PHISH results showed overestimation for solid particles and underestimation for liquid particles when compared to the mannequin facing-the-wind aspiration efficiency. Substantial (and statistically significant) differences in sampling efficiency were observed between liquid and solid particles, particularly for the Button and screened-PHISH, with a majority of aerosol mass depositing on the screened inlets of these samplers. Our results suggest that large droplets have low penetration efficiencies through screened inlets and that particle bounce, for solid particles, is an important determinant of aspiration and sampling efficiencies for samplers with screened inlets.

Wintertime factors affecting contaminant distribution in a swine farrowing room.

An estimated 200,000 to 500,000 U.S. workers in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are at risk of adverse respiratory outcomes from exposures to indoor contaminants. In the wintertime, general ventilation is minimized in the Midwest due to high heating costs required to maintain indoor temperatures optimal for animal production. Pit fans typically operate to exhaust under-floor manure pits, but little other fresh air intake exists. Many operators believe that these systems are sufficient to reduce contaminant concentrations within the building during winter. Investigating whether these pit fans provide sufficient protection against classic CAFO contaminants during minimal wintertime ventilation was warranted. Direct-reading instruments were used to measure and record concentrations of multiple contaminants using both fixed-area and mobile contaminant mapping in a farrowing room during a Midwest winter. With the exception of CO, concentrations were significantly (p < 0.001) higher with the pit fan off compared with those with the pit fan on. Additional analyses identified that significant changes (p < 0.001) in mean room concentrations of respirable dust (decreased, 77% with pit fan off and 87% with pit fan on) and CO2 (increased, 24%) over the 5-hr study periods and that multiple fixed-area monitors rather than the much-used, single center-of-room monitor provided a more conservative (e.g., protective) assessment of room concentrations. While concentrations did not exceed occupational exposure limits from OSHA or ACGIH for individual contaminants, recommended agricultural health limits from exposure-response studies suggested in the literature were exceeded for respirable dust, CO2, and NH3, indicating a need to consider personal exposures and control options to reduce contaminant concentrations in farrowing rooms. Pit fans reduced NH3 and H2S concentrations, but these fans may not be sufficient to control dust and eliminate the need for secondary exposure prevention methods.

Distribution of Particle and Gas Concentrations in Swine Gestation Confined Animal Feeding Operations

OBJECTIVES Dust mass concentrations, temperatures, and carbon dioxide concentrations were mapped in a modern, 1048-pen swine gestation barn in winter, spring, and summer. METHODS In each season, two technicians measured respirable mass concentrations with an aerosol photometer and temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations with an indoor air quality monitor at 60 positions in the barn. Stationary photometers were also deployed to measure mass concentrations during mapping at five fixed locations. RESULTS In winter when building ventilation rates were low (center-barn mean air velocity=0.34 m s(-1), 68 fpm) to conserve heat within the barn, mass and carbon dioxide concentrations were highest (mass geometric mean, GM=0.50 mg m(-3); CO2 GM=2060 ppm) and fairly uniform over space (mass geometric standard deviation, GSD=1.48; CO2 GSD=1.24). Concentrations were lowest in summer (mass GM=0.13 mg m(-3); CO2 GM=610 ppm) when ventilation rates were high (center-barn mean air velocity=0.99 m s(-1), 196 fpm) to provide cooling. Spatial gradients were greatest in spring (mass GSD=2.11; CO2 GSD=1.50) with low concentrations observed near the building intake, increasing to higher concentrations at the building exhaust. CONCLUSIONS Mass concentrations obtained in mapping were generally consistent with those obtained from stationary monitors. A moderately strong linear relationship (R2=0.60) was observed between the log of photometer-measured mass concentration and the log of carbon dioxide concentration, suggesting that carbon dioxide may be an inexpensive alternative to assessing air quality in a swine barn. These results indicate that ventilation can effectively reduce contaminant levels in addition to controlling temperature.

Accurate quantification of tio2 nanoparticles collected on air filters using a microwave-assisted acid digestion method

ABSTRACT Titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles, including nanoparticles with diameters smaller than 100 nm, are used extensively in consumer products. In a 2011 current intelligence bulletin, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended methods to assess worker exposures to fine and ultrafine TiO2 particles and associated occupational exposure limits for these particles. However, there are several challenges and problems encountered with these recommended exposure assessment methods involving the accurate quantitation of titanium dioxide collected on air filters using acid digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Specifically, recommended digestion methods include the use of chemicals, such as perchloric acid, which are typically unavailable in most accredited industrial hygiene laboratories due to highly corrosive and oxidizing properties. Other alternative methods that are used typically involve the use of nitric acid or combination of nitric acid and sulfuric acid, which yield very poor recoveries for titanium dioxide. Therefore, given the current state of the science, it is clear that a new method is needed for exposure assessment. In this current study, a microwave-assisted acid digestion method has been specifically designed to improve the recovery of titanium in TiO2 nanoparticles for quantitative analysis using ICP-OES. The optimum digestion conditions were determined by changing several variables including the acids used, digestion time, and temperature. Consequently, the optimized digestion temperature of 210°C with concentrated sulfuric and nitric acid (2:1 v/v) resulted in a recovery of >90% for TiO2. The method is expected to provide for a more accurate quantification of airborne TiO2 particles in the workplace environment.

Use of Recirculating Ventilation With Dust Filtration to Improve Wintertime Air Quality in a Swine Farrowing Room

The performance of a recirculating ventilation system with dust filtration was evaluated to determine its effectiveness to improve the air quality in a swine farrowing room of a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO). Air was exhausted from the room (0.47 m3sec−1; 1000 cfm), treated with a filtration unit (Shaker-Dust Collector), and returned to the farrowing room to reduce dust concentrations while retaining heat necessary for livestock health. The air quality in the room was assessed over a winter, during which time limited fresh air is traditionally brought into the building. Over the study period, dust concentrations ranged from 0.005–0.31 mg m−3 (respirable) and 0.17–2.09 mg m−3 (inhalable). In-room dust concentrations were reduced (41% for respirable and 33% for inhalable) with the system in operation, while gas concentrations (ammonia [NH3], hydrogen sulfide [H2S], carbon monoxide [CO], carbon dioxide [CO2]) were unchanged. The position of the exhaust and return air systems provided reasonably uniform contaminant distributions, although the respirable dust concentrations nearest one of the exhaust ducts was statistically higher than other locations in the room, with differences averaging only 0.05 mg m−3. Throughout the study, CO2 concentrations consistently exceeded 1540 ppm (industry recommendations) and on eight of the 18 study days it exceeded 2500 ppm (50% of the ACGIH TLV), with significantly higher concentrations near a door to a temperature-controlled hallway that was typically often left open. Alternative heaters are recommended to reduce CO2 concentrations in the room. Contaminant concentrations were modeled using production and environmental factors, with NH3 related to the number of sow in the room and outdoor temperatures and CO2 related to the number of piglets and outdoor temperatures. The recirculating ventilation system provided dust reduction without increasing concentrations of hazardous gases.

A Granular Bed for Use in a Nanoparticle Respiratory Deposition Sampler.

A granular bed was designed to collect nanoparticles as an alternative to nylon mesh screens for use in a nanoparticle respiratory deposition (NRD) sampler. The granular bed consisted of five layers in series: a coarse mesh, a large-bead layer, a small-bead layer, a second large-bead layer, and a second coarse mesh. The bed was designed to primarily collect particles in the small-bead layer, with the coarse mesh and large-bead layers designed to hold the collection layer in position. The collection efficiency of the granular bed was measured for varying depths of the small-bead layer and for test particles with different shape (cuboid, salt particles; and fractal, and stainless steel and welding particles). Experimental measurements of collection efficiency were compared to estimates of efficiency from theory and to the nanoparticulate matter (NPM) criterion, which was established to reflect the total deposition in the human respiratory system for particles smaller than 300 nm. The shape of the collection efficiency curve for the granular bed was similar to the NPM criterion in these experiments. The collection efficiency increased with increasing depth of the small-bead layer: the particle size associated with 50% collection efficiency, d50, for salt particles was 25 nm for a depth of 2.2 mm, 35 nm for 3.2 mm, and 45 nm for 4.3 mm. The best-fit to the NPM criterion was found for the bed with a small-bead layer of 3.2 mm. Compared to cubic salt particles, the collection efficiency was higher for fractal-shaped particles larger than 50 nm, presumably due to increased interception. Copyright 2015 American Association for Aerosol Research

Computational Fluid Dynamics Investigation of Human Aspiration in Low-Velocity Air: Orientation Effects on Mouth-Breathing Simulations

Computational fluid dynamics was used to investigate particle aspiration efficiency in low-moving air typical of occupational settings (0.1-0.4 m s(-1)). Fluid flow surrounding an inhaling humanoid form and particle trajectories traveling into the mouth were simulated for seven discrete orientations relative to the oncoming wind (0°, 15°, 30°, 60°, 90°, 135° and 180°). Three continuous inhalation velocities (1.81, 4.33, and 12.11 m s(-1)), representing the mean inhalation velocity associated with sinusoidal at-rest, moderate, and heavy breathing (7.5, 20.8, and 50.3 l min(-1), respectively) were simulated. These simulations identified a decrease in aspiration efficiency below the inhalable particulate mass (IPM) criterion of 0.5 for large particles, with no aspiration of particles 100 µm and larger for at-rest breathing and no aspiration of particles 116 µm for moderate breathing, over all freestream velocities and orientations relative to the wind. For particles smaller than 100 µm, orientation-averaged aspiration efficiency exceeded the IPM criterion, with increased aspiration efficiency as freestream velocity decreased. Variability in aspiration efficiencies between velocities was low for small (<22 µm) particles, but increased with increasing particle size over the range of conditions studied. Orientation-averaged simulation estimates of aspiration efficiency agree with the linear form of the proposed linear low-velocity inhalable convention through 100 µm, based on laboratory studies using human mannequins.