Journal
JOURNAL OF NANOPARTICLE RESEARCH
Volume 11, Issue 7, Pages 1661-1672Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s11051-009-9649-3
Keywords
Respirator; Respiratory protection; Filtration; Nanoparticle; EHS; Occupational safety and health; Aerosols
Ask authors/readers for more resources
As a precautionary measure, it is often recommended that workers take steps to reduce their exposure to airborne nanoparticles through the use of respiratory protective devices. The purpose of this study was to provide a review and analysis of the research literature and current recommendations on respirators used for protection against nanoparticles. Key research findings were that studies with particles as small as 4 nm have shown that conventional single-fiber filtration theory can be used to describe the filtration performance of respirators and that the most penetrating particle size for respirators equipped with commonly used electrostatic filter media is in the range of 30-100 nm. Future research needs include human laboratory and workplace protection factor studies to measure the respirator total inward leakage of nanoparticles. Industrial hygienists and safety professionals should continue to use traditional respirator selection guidance for workers exposed to nanoparticles.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available