N045
Development
of PAO (poly-alpha-olefin) Particle Generator
Hiromi Koyama and Seiji
Ikawa
Sibata Scientific
Technology Ltd.
Tel: +81-489-31-1023 Fax: +81-489-31-0516 e-mail: seiji_ikawa@sibata.co.jp
ABSTRACT
DOP (dioctyl-phthalate) is used as a standard particle for the
test of respirators and air filters. However, DOP is recently suspected as an endocrine
disrupter. To avoid the use of chemicals
of which safety is suspected, we need to find an alternative test particle with
less toxicity and with suitable particle characteristics.
From such a standpoint, the technical committee of JACA (Japan Air
Cleaning Association), has released “The Guideline of Substitute Materials for
DOP, JACA No.37 (2001)”. We developed
the PAO particle generator incorporating a nebuliser, and evaluated the device
on the basis of this standard. As the result,
this generator generates PAO particles with average CMD less than 0.2μm, with
GSD less than 1.8, and at concentration higher than 30mg/m3. We have also studied NaCl and DOP particle
generation comparatively with the same type of generators. Those generators generated NaCl particles
with average CMD less than 0.1μm with GSD less than 1.8, and at
concentration about 30mg/m3, and generated DOP particles with
average CMD less than 0.25μm, with GSD less than 1.6, and at concentration
about 50mg/m3.
This result shows PAO is recommended as an alternative of DOP for
the test aerosol of particle respirator filtration efficiency.