Industrial Hygiene

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Particulate Matter

Personal exposure to particulate matter is a growing concern for industrial workplaces.  Particulate matter is a general name for a vast range of particles that can be carried by air, resulting in inhalation.  Particulate matter can take the form of a solid, liquid or mixture of both.  Some health effects of its inhalation include increased respiratory symptoms such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing (e.g. decreased lung function, aggravated asthma, development of chronic bronchitis, irregular heartbeat, non-fatal heart attacks, and premature death in people with heart or lung disease).  Many different industries contribute to increased concentrations of particulate matter within environments; particulates 10 microns or less  are of  the most concern. This particulate matter can travel deep into the lungs and potentially become lodged thereby causing negative health effects.

With respect to indoor air, particulate matter can be a mixture of different substances such as fungal spores, pollen, tiny liquid or solid particles in aerosols, carbon, and endotoxin (a toxin present in bacteria).  Particulate matter is generated by a wide range of industrial activities such as agriculture, construction, and mining which contribute most to particulate matter levels in the atmosphere.   Diesel particulate matter has gained recognition as one of the most harmful substances to human health, due to its potential to cause cancer, premature death, and other health problems.

CASSEN provides gravimetric analysis of particulate matter using the most advanced microbalance, which is designed to reach the highest performance and the best repeatability values with fast stabilization time. The microbalance is also equipped with anti-static electrode to remove static charges and specialized assembly to accommodate air filter for respirable particulate (PM2.5, PM10) and total dust. Along with stringent QA/QC procedures,  these help to ensure CASSEN’s PM analysis is highly precise and accurate.