SKC 225-384 User-loaded Disposable Parallel Particle Impactors Instruction Manual
- June 5, 2024
- SKC
Table of Contents
225-384 User-loaded Disposable Parallel Particle Impactors
Instruction Manual
863 Valley View Road, Eighty Four, PA 15330
724-941-9701
SKC User-loaded Disposable Parallel Particle Impactors (PPI) The patented† impaction-based SKC Disposable Parallel Partide Impactor (PPI®) Samplers are designed to match precisely the collection efficiency curves for respirable and thoracic dust specified by ISO 7708/CEN and adopted by ACGIH, CEN, and other occupational hygiene organizations. Performance data of the PPI Samplers relative to the ISO 7708/CEN criteria was published in the Journal of Physics, Conference Series 151, 2009, and the data were made part of the OSHA Docket used to develop the OSHA final silica rule (final rule page 16439). The thoracic model meets the requirements of compounds with ACGIH® thoracic TLV®s. Disposable PPI Samplers offer the convenience of single-use to eliminate sampler assembly and cleaning; small size for worker comfort, even under helmets or other PPE; and a choice of flow rates for maximum flexibility in pump options, sample duration, and contaminant concentration. These instructions are for PPI models that are NOT preloaded with filters and supports; these models contain only impaction substrates.
Performance Profile
Sampling Rate: 2 L/min respirable or thoracic and 4 or 8 L/min respirable
Sample Pump:
- Universal or AirChek® Series for 2 and 4 L/min
- Leland Legacy for 8 L/min
Sample Time: Dependent on the method used. Note: SKC tests indicate
that a particulate mass of up to 6.8 mg on the four impaction substrates would
not affect PPI performance. This amount is equivalent to sampling for 6 hours
at 4 L/min in environments where respirable mass concentration is 4.76 mg/tit’
and equals 50% of total dust. However, labs have reported to SKC that they
prefer no more than 2 mg on the filter for analytical reasons. Therefore, SKC
recommends that you work with your lab to determine optimum sample times for
your unique sampling conditions.
Sample Media 37-mm, 5.0-pm PVC filter or 37-mm, 0.8-pm MCE filter
(recommended):
Impaction Substrate: Use cellulose or stainless steel screen for support
Four 3/8-in diameter pre-oiled porous plastic discs (assembled in all
Disposable PPIs)
Analysis: Gravimetric and/or chemical
Body Material: Conductive ABS plastic
Dimensions:
Height: 4.25 in (10.8 cm) – clip to exhaust
Diameter: 1.8 in (4.6 cm)
Depth: 1.2 in (3 cm)
Weight: 1.1 oz (31.2 gm)
Shelf-life: 18 mos from date of manufacture
† U.S. Patent No. 7,073,402
Principle of Operation
SKC Disposable PPI Samplers are impaction-based filter samplers that perform precise size-selection for either thoracic or respirable dust, depending on the model. PPI Samplers contain four small impactors in the inlet section of the device. Each impactor features a unique 50% cut-point to target a specifi c one-quarter segment of the ISO/CEN curve resulting in a precise fi t along the entire curve. A sample pump operating at 2, 4, or 8 L/min (2 L/min only for thoracic) pulls air through the inlet nozzle of each impactor in the inlet plate. Particles larger than each impactor’s 50% cut-point are scrubbed and retained by impaction onto the porous oiled impaction substrate contained in each impactor. Smaller particles continue to the standard 37-mm collection filter for analysis.
PPI Performance
Collection efficiency of the 2, 4, and 8 L/min respirable PPI Samplers compared to the ISO respirable curve
Collection efficiency of the 2 L/min thoracic PPI Sampler compared to the ISO thoracic convention
Media and Sampler Preparation
Media Preparation
Condition and weigh filters according to the method used. Record the weight as
the pre-sample weight.
Sampler Preparation
The PPI will arrive with the inlet plate shrink-wrapped and the base plate
separated.
- Remove the shrink wrap from the inlet plate.
- Using forceps, insert fi rst a 37-mm support pad and then a conditioned and weighed 37-mm collection filter (if using gravimetric analysis) into the base plate.
- Lay the base plate on a flat surface, align the inlet plate with the base, and press down firmly to achieve an even seal.
- Write sample ID on sampling label. Adhere the sampling label to the bottom of the base plate.
- Remove the protective end cap from the exhaust.
Technical Tidbits:
• Use forceps to carefully insert or remove the collection filter and support
pad. See Accessories for forceps.
Calibration and Sampling
Tip: As the particle load on the filter increases during sampling, the
pressure drop will also increase. Therefore, use a compensating sample pump
such as the AirChek Series or Leland Legacy depending on flow rate
requirements.
Calibration
Calibrate pump flow rate with a representative Disposable PPI (support and
filter loaded) in line. Note: If using SKC High Flow chek-mate Calibrator,
Pulsation Dampener Cat. No. 375-150 is also required in line. See pump and
calibrator operating instructions.
- Ensure the pump has run for 5 minutes before calibrating.
- Ensure the representative impactor is loaded with a support and collection filter and that it is fully assembled. See Sampler Preparation on page 3.
- Align the bottom of the calibration adapter with the inlet plate of an assembled, loaded representative Disposable PPI and press down firmly until the calibration adapter’s O-ring is engaged and creates an even seal.
- Use flexible tubing to connect the exhaust of the Disposable PPI to the inlet of a sample pump.
- Use flexible tubing to connect the inlet of the calibration adapter to the suction port (outlet) of a calibrator.
- Calibrate to 2 L/min for the 2 L/min respirable and thoracic model PPIs, 4 L/min for the 4 L/min respirable model, or 8 L/min for the 8 L/min respirable model. Follow the calibration instructions in the pump and calibrator operating instructions.
- When calibration is completed, disconnect the tubing from the calibrator and calibration adapter.
- Grasp the Disposable PPI with one hand and the calibration adapter with the other hand. Firmly pull/twist to remove the calibration adapter from the Disposable PPI inlet plate.
- Replace the representative Disposable PPI used to set the flow with a new loaded Disposable PPI for sample collection.
Using excessive pressure to seal the calibration adapter to the Disposable
PPI may make the calibration adapter difficult to remove. 
Sampling
SKC tests indicate that a particulate mass of up to 6.8 mg on the four
impaction substrates would not affect PPI performance. This amount is
equivalent to sampling for 6 hours at 4 L/min in environments where respirable
mass concentration is 4.76 mg/m3 and equals 50% of total dust. However, labs
have reported to SKC that they prefer no more than 2 mg on the filter for
analytical reasons. Therefore, SKC recommends that you work with your lab to
determine optimum sample times for your unique sampling conditions.
- As per good industrial hygiene practice, replace the representative sampler used for calibration with a new, unused loaded sampler. See Media and Sampler Preparation.
- Record sample starts time on the label.
- Clip Disposable PPI onto a worker’s collar or lapel in the breathing zone or in the area to be sampled.
- Clip sample pump at the worker’s waist or close to the Disposable PPI.
- Use flexible tubing to attach the Disposable PPI exhaust to the inlet of the sample pump.
- Turn on the pump and record pertinent sample data.
- After the desired sample time has elapsed, turn off the pump and unclip the sampler from the sampling 8 location.
- Apply a Post-use label to the inlet plate to seal the sampler.
- Record sample stops time on a label on the bottom of the sampler.
- Disconnect the sampler from the pump and reinstall 10 protective end caps on the exhaust.
- Reinstate calibration train with representative Disposable PPI and verify flow rate. See Calibration.
Sample Transport and Analysis
Package and transport samples and blanks to an accredited laboratory for
gravimetric or chemical analysis.
References
Traumas, S., Hall, P., Personal Respirable Sampler Containing Four Impactors
Arranged in Parallel, Abstracts of 23rd Annual AAAR Conference, Atlanta, GA,
2004, p. 78
Traumas, 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,
www.skcinc.com/instructions/Parallel
Particle Impactor Paper.pdf
Reference 2 is an author-created, non-copyrighted 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.
Traumas, S., “High-flow Personal Respirator Dust Sampler for Increased
Sensitivity,” Poster 261, AIHce 2010, Denver, CO
Traumas, 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
Traumas, S., Salter, E., “High-Flow Personal Sampler to Monitor Exposure to
Respirable Crystalline Silica at New Lower TLV” PowerPoint Presentation
OSHA Final Rule on Respirable Crystalline Silica,
www.osha.gov/silica/
ISO 7708:1995 (2008), Air Quality — Particle Size Fraction Definitions for
Health-related Sampling, www.iso.org, search on 7708
Stacey, P., Thorpe, A., and Echt, A., “Performance of High Flow Rate Personal
Respirable Samplers When Challenged with Mineral Aerosols of Different
Particle Size Distributions,” Ann. Occup. Hyg., 60, 2016, pp. 479492,
http://annhyg.oxfordjournals.org/content/60/4/479.full.pdf
Görner, P., Simon, X., Boivin, A., Bau, S., “Sampling Efficiency and
Performance of Selected Thoracic Aerosol Samplers,” Annals of Work Exposure
and Health, 2017, Vol. 61, No. 7, 784-796
Ordering Information
User-loaded Disposable Plastic PPI Samplers, select the PPI for the
desired convention. Designed for one-time use.| Cat. No
---|---
User-loaded Disposable PPI Samplers contain four porous disc impaction
substrates. Require collection filter and support; see information below and
select based on application
Respirable PPI (red), 8 L/min, plastic
Respirable PPI (orange), 4 L/min, plastic
Respirable PPI (gold), 2 L/min, plastic
Thoracic PPI (blue), 2 L/min, plastic
| 225-384
225-387
225-385
225-386
Recommended Collection Filters for User-loaded Disposable PPI, required
for sampling. Select a filter based on your application.
PVC Filters, 37 mm, 5.0-μm pore size, pk/100| 225-5-37
MCE Filters, 37 mm, 0.8-μm pore size, pk/100| 225-1939
Filter Supports are required for User-loaded Disposable PPI sampling.
Select either cellulose or stainless steel.
Support Pads, cellulose, 37 mm, pk/100| 225-27
Support Pads, stainless steel, 37 mm, wide mesh, ea| 225-26
Accessories
Calibration Adapter for Disposable PPI| 225-389
Forceps, stainless steel, non-serrated fl at tips| 225-8371
- Backpressure on PTFE filters can vary within the same lot.
SKC Limited Warranty and Return Policy
SKC products are subject to the SKC Limited Warranty and Return Policy, which provides SKC’s sole liability and the buyer’s exclusive remedy. To view the complete SKC Limited Warranty and Return Policy, go to skcinc.com/warranty.
skcinc.com
Form 38055
Rev 220302