Video: Sampling of dust in environment

This is a video of 1 min 50 sek which demonstrates how you can sample dust in a work environment. The video can be used for educational purposes if you teach this topic in occupational Health.

Health effects relating to dust exposure depends on the type of dust, how long and how often a worker is exposed, as well as the exposure level. Visible dust is coarse, while the finer particles cannot be seen with the naked eye. Thus, the human eye is not a reliable guide to assess exposure to dust in the working environment. It is possible to measure airborne dust. Samples from the workplace atmosphere can be used to measure the concentration of dust in the air as well as give information about the components of the dust. The two most frequently used methods for such air pollution sampling are personal sampling and stationary sampling. In this film you will see someone undertaking personal sampling in a coffee factory. Air samples to determine personal exposure are preferably collected in the worker's breathing zone. The concentration of the pollution in this area is believed to be representative of the pollution in the inhaled air. The equipment used for dust sampling in the workplace atmosphere includes a pump, a flow meter and filter cassette with filters.

Dust in the air is collected on the filter during the sampling period. After sampling is completed, the quantity of dust is determined by weighing the filters in the laboratory. It is also possible to identify the elements present, but this kind of analysis requires special laboratory resources.