• Project number: F 2337
• Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
• Status: Completed Project

Description:

Stationary sampling techniques only provide limited information for characterisation and assessment of health risks from handling of nanomaterials and other advanced materials at workplaces. Personal air sampling offers the advantage of exposure information from the breathing zone of an employee. In this project a variety of devices for personal air sampling and monitoring will be tested and validated for their functionality and applicability in work place measurements on nanomaterials. A laboratory test bench will be developed, which generates particular and fibrous dusts from different test substances in a controlled and reproducible way. This will enable comparative measurements with nano-sized particles and fibres of different morphologies and aerosol concentrations based on standard operating procedures (SOP). Beyond this, field studies will be performed to test the personal air sampling devices under practical conditions. The results will strengthen the scientific basis for risk management for handling nanomaterials at workplaces and also contribute to the validation of methods for estimating the dustiness of chemical substances and mixtures.