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2012
Conference Paper
Titel
Monitoring method for carbon nanotubes (CNT): Personal sampler and corresponding reading device
Titel Supplements
NANODEVICE: CNT-detect
Abstract
At present, carbon nanotubes (CNT) in air can only be detected by deposition on a substrate and the use of off-line imaging analysis such as SEM. The majority of techniques suitable for the quasi-real-time measurement of engineered nanoparticles (ENP) such as electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI), scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), and condensation particle counter (CPC) can not distinguish between nanoparticles in general and airborne nanofibres in particular. In common workplace settings the considerable background of fine and ultrafine particles thus poses a challenge for these instruments. Furthermore, a true portability of the present devices is not given due to their size and power consumption. However, there is an urgent need due to the expected toxicity of nanofibres to control workplace environments with a robust and mobile device to ensure the safety of the working personnel as soon as possible. To meet these challenges, a personal sampler together with a corresponding reading device is developed during the NANODEVICE-project, funded by the European Commission under grant agreement FP7-211464-2. This portable personal sampler collects CNTs on a specific substrate. The collected CNTs can be analyzed with a portable optical detection device which will give a qualitative and quantitative result based on the collection duration and flow rate of the sampler. In laboratory scale, it was even possible to distinguish between different CNT sources from different manufactures. Sensitivity and detection limit are currently under investigation and will be shown at SENN 2012.