Comparison of two ambient beta gauge PM(10) samplers

Abstract

This paper reports on the performance of the Kimoto 180 sampler and the Wedding ambient PM(10) beta gauge sampler. Monodisperse ammonium fluorescein test particles were generated in the laboratory and used to determine the penetration curve of the Kimoto 180 cyclonic inlet. It was found that the actual D-pa50 of the Kimoto 180 inlet, 3.5 mu m, is much lower than the designated standard value, 10 mu m. In the field test, the two beta gauge samplers were collocated with an Andersen SA 1200 high-volume sampler to compare their measured daily average PM(10) concentrations. The low D-pa50 of the Kimoto 180 inlet serves to explain why its daily average PM(10) concentrations were much lower than the actual PM(10) concentrations found in the field study. In addition, the PM(10) concentrations of the Kimoto 180 beta gauge sampler were found to be seriously affected by the water vapor content of the ambient air. In contrast, the daily average PM(10) concentrations of the Wedding beta gauge sampler were found to be more accurate, and influences by ambient conditions were insignificant.