Korean diffusive sampler (KDS) and charcoal tube (CT) were used for sampling n-hexane, trichloroethylene and toluene in air KDS was made by Department of Environmental Health, SNU-SPH in 1995.
Surveys were conducted at ten industrial plants with organic solvents. The relationship between two sampling methods was examined by linear regression analysts, and concentrations by two sampling methods were compared using paired t-test.
The results are as follows:
1. The geometric means by CT and KDS methods were 3.26ppm and 3.32ppm for n-hexane, 5.07ppm and 6.34ppm for toluene, and 7.18ppm and 7.90ppm for toluene, respectively. There was no significant difference between results by CT and KDS methods in three organic vapors (p$gt;0.05). When linear regression analysis was performed, two sampling methods were highly related ; correlation coefficients were 0.98, 0.90 and 0.96 for n-hexane, toluene and trichloroethylene, respectively.
2. Airborne concentrations of n-hexane (n=21) were below 0.5 TLV lever. The GM by two methods were almost same (3.09 ppm). And there was no significant difference between results by two methods (p$gt;0.05).
3. Since toluene and trichloroethylene concentrations showed several levels, appropriate sampling rates we re applied for each level. The GM of´ toluene concentrations by two methods at 0.5 TLV level were 3.75ppm and 5.48ppm. The KDS method overestimated the toluene concentrations at 0.5 TLV level (p$lt;0.05). The GM values of toluene concentrations at 1 TLV level were 31.80ppm and 25.38ppm and at 2 TLV level were 64.13 ppm and 51.37 ppm. The KDS method underestimated concentration at both level (p$lt;0.05). For trichloroethylene, the GM at 0.5 TLV level were 4.97 ppm and 7.11ppm. The KDS method overestimated the concentration of trichloroethylene (p$lt;0.05).
In conclusion, concentrations of three organic vapors measured by CT and KDS were not significantly different and results by two methods were highly related. But at contain concentrations, the levels by method were significantly different. Therefore, it is suggested that sampling rate of KDS should be studied simultaneously using CT method for organic vapors.
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