Design, development, calibration and field evaluation of an indigenous PM2.5 sampler

Abstract

This note presents the development, laboratory calibration and field evaluation of a single-stage impactor (SSI) for measurement of gas-borne particulate matter (PM), for a specific cut-off diameter of 2.5 mu m. The SSI was designed for a flow rate of 6 lpm, and was calibrated using standard NaCl test aerosols against a commercially available ten-stage cascade impactor (0.056-18 mu m). Field evaluation of SSI for PM2.5 measurements in ambient air was carried out by collocating SSI and the ten-stage cascade impactor. The PM2.5 measurements by SSI during laboratory calibration and the field study were found to be 1.06-1.08 times higher than the ten-stage cascade impactor measurements, indicating a satisfactory performance.