The average volume of air inhaled by an individual in a minute is 6L. While going through the literatures on occupational exposure to particulate matter, the inlet air volume rate used for personal air sampler varies between 1.5 - 2 L/min for estimating the amount of inhalable particulate matter. Could anyone tell the reason for using low inlet volume flow rate in sampler than the actual volume inhalable by an individual?
Dear Yubraj Dahal
I assume you are thinking about gravimetric air samples, where a known air volume has been sampled onto a collection substrate and the substrate is weighted/analyzed after sampling. The flow used for gravimetric sampling is used to calculate the concentration in the ambient air. Different size fractions and sampling methods are sensitive to various flow rates and it is best to follow the instructions given by the manufacturers for optimal performance.
When you know the ambient concentration in the air, you can use different methods to estimate the exposure dose associated with for example various pulmonary ventilation. All the best
The inhalation rate is quite variable, depending on age and activity level of the person (https://ofmpub.epa.gov/eims/eimscomm.getfile?p_download_id=526167) The lower rate for personal air samplers is likely just a trade-off between getting a good sampling rate and keeping the size of the equipment manageable. Nobody would want to wear a sampling device that's larger and bulky.
Dear William A. Anderson
Thank you so much for your answer and attachment.
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