AAAR 34th Annual Conference
October 12 - October 16, 2015
Hyatt Regency
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Abstract View
Inhalable Particle Exposures in Northern Colorado Dairies
KIMBERLY ANDERSON, Josh Scaeffer, John Mehaffy, Jessy Tryon, Amanda VanDyke, Mary Bradford, Stephen Reynolds, T. Renee Anthony, Darrah Sleeth, John Volckens, Colorado State University
Abstract Number: 582 Working Group: Primary and Secondary Aerosols from Agricultural Operations
Abstract Exposure to bioaerosols is associated with adverse health effects such as cross-shift and longitudinal lung function decline, asthma, chronic bronchitis, wheeze, and cough. Agricultural workers are at particularly high risk of exposure to bioaerosols. Traditional methods to assess exposure to particles rely on the 37-mm closed faced cassette (CFC) sampler. However, the CFC undersamples particles >20 microns. The Personal Inhalable High-Flow Sampling Head (PHISH) sampler is a new low-cost, disposable inhalable sampler that operates at 10 L/min. This study evaluated worker exposures in four dairy parlors using PHISH and 37-mm CFC samplers. Sampling was conducted over the winter and spring. Samples were analyzed gravimetrically and compared between the PHISH and CFC. Mass concentrations for the PHISH sampler were on average 2.5 times higher than those observed for the CFC. Ratios between the PHISH and CFC sampler ranged from 0.54 to 3.39. Mass concentrations from area samples using the PHISH sampler were 1.4 times higher compared to the CFC samplers. Size distribution data collected during several of these field visits confirmed the presence of large airborne particles (> 20 microns aerodynamic diameter). This work highlights the importance of large particle exposures in several Colorado dairies and the need for improved exposure assessment (and control) technologies in agricultural settings.