(3) Connect the solid sorbent tube to a calibrated personal sampling pump with flexible tubing with the smaller sorbent section (backup section) nearer to the pump. Do not pass the air being sampled through any hose or tubing before entering the solid sorbent tube. Position the solid sorbent tube vertically during sampling to avoid channeling and premature breakthrough.
(4) Prepare the field blanks at about the same time as sampling is begun. These field blanks should consist of unused solid sorbent tubes from the same lot used for sample collection. Handle and ship the field blanks exactly as the samples (e.g., break the ends and seal with plastic caps) but do not draw air through the field blanks. Two field blanks are required for each 10 samples with a maximum of 10 field blanks per sample set.
(5) Take the sample at an accurately known flow rate as specified in the method for the substance and for the specified air volume. Typical flow rates are in the range 0.01 to 0.2 L/min. Check the pump during sampling to determine that the flow rate has not changed. If sampling problems preclude the accurate measurement of air volume, discard the sample. Take two to four replicate samples for quality control for each set of field samples.
(6) Record pertinent sampling data including location of sample, times of beginning and end of sampling, initial and final air temperatures, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure or elevation above sea level.
(7) Seal the ends of the tube immediately after sampling with plastic caps. Label each sample and blank clearly with waterproof identification.
(8) Pack the tubes tightly with adequate padding to minimize breakage for shipment to the laboratory. In addition to the sample tubes and field blanks, ship at least six unopened tubes to be used as media blanks so that desorption efficiency studies can be performed on the same lot of sorbent used for sampling.
(9) Ship bulk samples in a separate package from the air samples to avoid contamination of the samples. Suitable containers for bulk samples are glass with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-lined cap, e.g., 20-mL glass scintillation vials.
c. Sampling Instructions for Filter Sampler
Use these instructions for personal sampling of total (respirable and non-respirable) aerosols. Methods requiring these instructions specify FILTER as the sampling method. These instructions are not intended for respirable aerosol sampling.
(1) Calibrate the personal sampling pump with a representative filter in line using a bubble meter or equivalent flow measuring device.
(2) Assemble the filter in the two-piece cassette filter holder. Support the filter by a cellulose backup pad or stainless steel screen. Close the cassette using a press
