Evaluation of Filter Media Options for High Volume PM2.5 Sampling

Abstract

Abstract. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), glass fiber, and cellulose fiber filter media were evaluated under controlled conditions to determine their suitability for high volume PM2.5 sampling. Repeated mounting and unmounting events of new filters not exposed to ambient particulate matter were conducted in a laboratory environment and differences in the filter weight recorded. After the initial mounting and unmounting event, the filters exhibited weight changes of -2.24 mg, -0.61 mg, and 0.18 mg for cellulose, PTFE, and glass fiber filters, respectively. The standard deviation of replicated measurements after the first event was 1.76 (n = 9), 0.50 (n = 10), and 0.31 (n = 10) for cellulose, PTFE, and glass fiber filters, respectively. The combination of weight loss and standard deviation made the cellulose filter unsuitable for use in high volume PM2.5 samplers. However, improved performance over PTFE filters, suggests that glass fiber filters similar in specification to PTFE filters should be considered as acceptable substitutes in high volume PM2.5 sampling. Keywords: Air quality, Error, Filters, Measurement, Particles, Sampling technique.