L-35

Ambient air quality monitoring and

High volume sampler
Unit-V

Instruments needed for

sampling
Sr.
No

Parameter Instrument
used

Measuring unit

Temperature Thermometer

0C

Wind speed Anemometer

m/sec

Relative
humidity
Arm.
pressure

No unit (Expressed
in percentage)
Millibars or mm of
Hg

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Hygrometer
Barometer

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The Aim of Sampling:

The principal requirement of a
sampling system is to obtain a sample
that
is
representative
of
the
atmosphere at a particular place and
time and that can be evaluated as a
mass or volume concentration.
The sampling system should not alter
the
chemical
or
physical
characteristics of the sample in an
undesirable manner.

The major components of most

sampling systems are:
1) An inlet manifold
2) An Air mover (Blower)
3) A collection medium
4 ) Flow measurement device

(1)The

inlet

manifold

transports

the

material from the ambient atmosphere to

the collection medium or analytical
device in an unaltered condition, all inlet
of ambient air must be rainproof.
(2)The air mover (Blower) provides the force
to create a vacuum or lower pressure at
the end of the sampling system (pumps).

(3) The collecting medium, may be

solid

or

liquid

sorbent

for

dissolving gases a filter surface for

collecting particles.
(4)The flow device measures the
volume of air associated with the
sampling system.

PARTICULATE SAMPLING
METHODS
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 Gravitational method
For collecting dust particles of 1

(micron) or larger 40 (micron ) in

the atmosphere, clean glass jars are kept
in the area where dust fall is to be
determined and after a few hours or days,
the dust is collected from each jar and
then weighed.
The average weight of dust in each jar
is estimated and the dust fall is
expressed as weight of dust per unit
area per unit time.
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 Containers, generally conical plastic jars,

10-15 cm in diameter, open at the top

are used.
The jars are kept in strategic locations
throughout a community or in the vicinity
of particulate sources under study.
Grit and dust fall into the jars which
sometimes have water to hold the dust.
After a one month exposure, the jars are
collected and brought into the laboratory
where their contents are analysed.
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 In most cases only the total

particulate matter is determined, and

the results are expressed in terms of
tons per square kilometer per
month or g/sq. m / month.
Monthly isopleth maps can be
constructed showing the variation of
dust fall throughout the area.

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Dust
fall
jar

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Dust
depositor

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Filtration
A fibrous filter which is woven with randomly

oriented fibers acts as a target for the

collection of fine particles. When airborne
particles enter a filter and flow around the
fibers, they are subjected to aerodynamic
forces which result in their collection on the
fibers.
The principal mechanisms operating are
gravitation, inertia, interception and diffusion.
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 Many types of filters are available for

removal of particulate matter from gas

streams.
The chief variations are in the filter media
material and in the shape of the
membrane.
One common type is the thimble filter
shown diagrammatically.
The filter paper thimble is filled with wellfluffed cotton which operates at a
sampling rate of 2 cf/min.
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 By determining the change in

weight of the dried filter after

exposure, dust concentration in the
gas stream is determined.
The paper thimble cannot be used
with high temperature gases; an
alundum thimble is useful in this
case.

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Cyclones
Cyclones are a special type of impactors where

the impaction (on the side walls of the cyclone)

is combined with the gravitational settling of
the large particles.
The effect is that the large particles will get
trapped before they reach the collecting filter
and thus giving a cut off size dependent of the
size, geometry and air flow velocity through the
cyclone.
Cyclones (often) have the advantage of being
both small and cheap but still accurate enough
for most
modern requirements.
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Cascade Impactors
Cascade impactors are consists of a

number of impactor stages connected

in series with smaller and smaller cutoff diameter.
The cut-off diameter in each stage
depends on the air velocity and
geometry of the stage (i.e. the
distance from the nozzle to the
impaction plate).
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 Cascade impactors often have up to

some ten stages ranging from a

cut-off diameter on the first stage
of 10 30 m to a diameter of 0.1
m or lower on the backup filter in
the end.
This gives the opportunity to
analyse (e.g. chemical or
gravimetrical) a number of small
size intervals.
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 Some drawbacks are the risk of bounce off

from one stage to the next (i.e. particles of

wrong size at some of the stages) as well as
the problem of obtaining sharp cut-off
diameters in the last stages (cut-off diameter
less than 0.1 0.2 m).
Coating the impaction plates with oil or some
other sticky substance, which catches the
particles more effectively, can reduce the risk
of bounce of.
This will then prevent or severely complicate
direct mass concentration calculations of the
different
stages.
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Electrostatic precipitators
An electrostatic precipitator consists of an

ionizing electrode charged with a high negative

potential and a collector to be maintained at
positive potential produced by a special
transformer and rectifier.
A known volume of air is allowed to pass
through the precipitator where the incoming
particles become negatively charged by the
electrode and adhere to the positively charged
collecting tube.
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 The collected particles are weighed and

their number can also be counted

accurately by using a microscope.
This method of collection of particulate
matter is very efficient as high flow
rates with small pressure drops can be
used.
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Thermal precipitator
In thermal precipitators the particles in the

sampled stream move past a very hot wire

and are repulsed to the nearby cold plate
where they are collected.
However, it can operate only at very low
sampling rates-approximately 50 mililitres
per minute and is useful only for R&D work.
Figure shows a thermal precipitator of the
type supplied by Casella Company Ltd.,
London, England.
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L-36
High Volume Sampler

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INTRODUCTION
High Volume Samplers are the basic

instruments used to monitor Ambient Air

Quality.
They are in widespread use all over the
world to measure air pollution in industrial
areas, urban areas, on the shop floor,
near monuments and other sensitive
areas.
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 The High Volume Sampler is a vital tool

for studies relating to impact of

industrialisation to the air analysis, and
for work related diseases of the
respiratory system to air pollution.
These are very much essential for
various Environmental Impact
Assessment studies

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Components of HVS
Heavy Duty Blower,
Orifice flow meter- measures flow,
Time Totaliser-records time,
Programmable Timer- measures time,
Instrument Cabinet- acts as protection,
Filter Holder assembly- holds the filter in

position,
Voltage Stabiliser- guards against
voltage fluctuation,
Detachable Gable roof- allows passage of
air and
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
In these samplers, air-borne suspended

particulates (SPM) are measured by passing air

at a high flow-rate of 1.1 to 1.7 cubic meters
per minute through a high efficiency filter
paper which retains the particles.
The instrument measures the volume of air
sampled, while the amount of particulates
collected is determined by measuring the
change in weight of the filter paper as a
consequence of the sampling.
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 The passage for air reaching the filter is

designed to prevent heavier settleable dust

particles from reaching the filter (by provision
of cyclone) thus measuring the concentration of
Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) in
atmospheric air.

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 In high volume sampler provisions have

been made for simultaneous sampling of

gaseous pollutants.
Here the air is passed through suitable
reagents that would absorb specific gases
where gaseous pollutants like SO2, NOx,
Cl2, H2S, CS2, NH3, etc. are analysed
subsequently by simple wet chemistry
method to determine the concentration of
specific pollutant.
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Applications of HVS
Routine Monitoring by air monitoring

networks
Open Spaces like forests and national park
air monitoring.
Monitoring around ecologically sensitive
monuments

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 Data reporting for monthly and

yearly averages by local area air

quality networks.
Site Monitoring by industries.
Evaluative Studies
Lab Applications
Research Studies
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Calculation of SPM concentration

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Theory Questions
Q1. State principles used for sampling of
particulate matter. Explain any one in detail.

(Nov 2008, May 2009, 8 marks)

Q2. Explain working of high volume sampler with
sketch. (May 2011, 8 marks).
Q3. Explain various principles used in particulate
matter sampling. (May 2011, 8 marks)

Q4. Explain procedure for determining

concentration of SPM in ambient air.
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