Extracting dust from soil : A simple solution to a tricky task

• Air quality is commonly assessed by the ambient concentration of airborne particles sized smaller than 10 μm (PM10). However, in addition to concentration, particle shape as well as the type and bioaccessibility of elements adsorbed to this particulate fraction are likely to be related to subsequent respiratory health effects. In order to investigate this relationship, a relatively large mass of the relevant size fraction is needed since sample preparation is necessary prior to analysis. Most existing methods for sampling dust have been developed for analysing the dust directly, without prior handling or digestion. In order to provide sufficient material to be used for subsequent bioaccessibility analysis, these methods require repetitive and time consuming sampling as well as special equipment and procedures which are high in both cost and maintenance. This paper describes an inexpensive and relatively simple procedure for extracting the PM10 fraction from soil to be used for lung bioaccessibility studies. The method described involves dry and wet sieving in order to exclude larger size fractions as far as possible. Vacuum filtering of the wet-sieved soil solution through a 10 μm mesh was then employed to extract the required fraction. In order to avoid frequent blocking of the mesh, Stokes's law was applied in the construction of a tube which enables separation of the solution holding the smallest fraction.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Dust extraction

Lung bioaccessibility

Particle size fractionation

PM10

Soil

Stokes's law

Air quality

Biological organs

Concentration (process)

Dust

Filtration

Permanent magnets

Soil moisture

Soils

Well equipment

PM

Air pollution

sulfate

bioavailability

extraction method

filter

health impact

particle size

respiratory disease

sieving

soil emission

article

cost benefit analysis

environmental factor

environmental temperature

medical instrumentation

priority journal

soil analysis

soil pollution

Air

Environmental Monitoring

Solutions

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)