Parallel Particle Impactor
Size-selective Samplers for Thoracic or Respirable PM

• Collection efficiency precisely matches PM criteria
  • Independent of collected particle type
    
• Economical and reusable – use with any suitable 37-mm filter
  
• Load with disposable pre-oiled impaction substrates
  • Reduce particle bounce and buildup effects
• Only 3.3 ounces (94 grams) — ideal for personal or area sampling
  
• 8 L/min respirable model
• Enhanced sensitivity for TLV ® -TWA silica and other compounds with low target concentrations
• Ideal for monitoring worker exposure to silica in hydraulic fracturing operations
• Provides for short-term task monitoring for compounds with respirable OELs
• 2 L/min respirable model
  • Standard TWA sampling of compounds with respirable OELs
• 2 L/min thoracic model
• Metalworking Fluids (NIOSH 5524) and thoracic TLV-TWA compounds such as sulfuric acid and cotton dust
• Disposable conductive plastic models are available (see Disposable PPIs)

Parallel Particle Impactor Spec. Sheet (PDF)

Parallel Particle Impactor Operating Instructions (PDF)

* U.S. Patent No. 7,073,402

PPI — How it works The PPI contains four impactors arranged in parallel, each with a different 50% cut point that targets a specific segment of the selected convention. A personal sample pump provides a 2 L/min or 8 L/min flow to operate each impactor simultaneously, but independently. The sample collects on a single 37-mm filter and is analyzed gravimetrically to provide a respirable or thoracic result that is closer to the entire range of the selected convention than any other sampler available. PPI models are available for thoracic sampling at 2 L/min and respirable sampling at 2 L/min or 8 L/min.

Data in Figures 1 and 2 indicate performance of the Respirable PPI and Thoracic PPI are in agreement with their respective ACGIH/CEN/ISO conventions. Experiments revealed that a load of approximately 6.4 mg of coal mine dust on the sampler substrates (impaction plates) did not adversely affect performance of the PPIs.

Figure 1.
Comparison of penetration characteristics measured for
the respirable PPI Sampler and Higgins-Dewell Cyclone using PST test particles
(Click to enlarge)

Figure 2.
Comparison of penetration characteristics measured for the thoracic
PPI Sampler, PEM 10 Sampler, and GK2.69 Cyclone using PST test particles
(Click to enlarge)

8 L/min Respirable PPI — Ideal for New Lower Silica TLV
The 2010 ACGIH TLV for respirable crystalline silica has been lowered to 0.025 mg/m³. As limits are decreased, sampler sensitivity needs to increase. SKC introduces the new 8 L/min Parallel Particle Impactor (PPI). The sampler’s higher flow rate provides for increased sensitivity by collecting more sample material to accurately measure occupational exposure at new lower limits. The 8 L/min PPI is ideal for sampling the new lower TLV for crystalline silica

The penetration characteristics of the SKC 8 L/min Respirable PPI were tested using PST test particles compared to the respirable convention.

Figure 3.
Penetration characteristics measured for the 8 L/min
respirable PPI Sampler using PST test particles
(Click to enlarge)

Figure 4.
Comparison of the respirable convention curve with theoretically
predicted performance of samplers containing a different number of
internal impactors arranged in parallel.
(Click to enlarge)

Each PPI sample requires:

• 1 filter
• 1 support
• 4 impaction substrates

All items are available separately.

Description		Qty.	Cat. No.
Thoracic PPI (blue) , 2 L/min, aluminum, requires substrates, filters, and supports		ea	225-381
Respirable PPI (gold), 2 L/min, aluminum, requires substrates, filters, and supports		ea	225-380
Respirable PPI (red), 8 L/min, aluminum, requires substrates, filters, and supports		ea	225-383
Recommended Collection Filters for PPI, required for sampling, select the filter appropriate for your application
PVC Filters, 37 mm, 5.0-µm pore size		50	225-5-37
PTFE Filters, 37 mm, 2.0-µm pore size for metalworking fluids (NIOSH 5524) Back pressure on PTFE filters can vary within the same lot.		50	225-27-07
MCE Filters, 37 mm, 0.8-µm pore size		100	225-1939
Filter Supports, required for sampling; select either cellulose or stainless steel
Support Pads, cellulose, 37 mm		100	225-27
Stainless Steel Screen, 37 mm, wide mesh		ea	225-26
Impaction Substrates, 4 required for each sample
Porous Plastic disc, 3/8-inch diameter, pre-oiled, ready to use, disposable, limited shelf life		200	225-388
Accessories
Multi-purpose Calibration Jar		ea	225-111
Forceps, stainless steel, with non-serrated flat tips		ea	225-8371
Filter-Keeper, for transporting and storing 37-mm filter samples		10	225-8303A

References

Trakumas, S., Hall, P., Personal Respirable Sampler Containing Four Impactors Arranged in Parallel, Abstracts of 23rd Annual AAAR Conference, Atlanta, GA, 2004, p. 78

Trakumas, S., Salter, E., "Parallel Particle Impactor - Novel Size-selective Particle Sampler for Accurate Fractioning of Inhalable Particles," Journal of Physics: Conference Series 151 (2009), 16 pp., 012060

The link in Reference 2 is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in the Journal of Physics: Conference Series 151. IOP Publishing Ltd. is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher authenticated version is available online. Go to http://dx.doi.org, enter doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/151/1/012060.

Trakumas, S., "High-flow Personal Respirator Dust Sampler for Increased Sensitivity," Poster 261, AIHce 2010, Denver, Co

Trakumas, S., "High-flow Personal Sampler to Monitor Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica at New Lower TLV," IOHA 2010 8th Conference Book of Abstracts, Rome, p.59

Trakumas, S., Salter, E., "High-Flow Personal Sampler to Monitor Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica at New Lower TLV" PowerPoint Presentation

Parallel Particle Impactor Spec. Sheet (PDF)

Parallel Particle Impactor Operating Instructions (PDF)