PID Gas Meter/Detector

PID Gas Meter/Detector

IntroductionIntroduction

Air monitoring data is useful for:Air monitoring data is useful for:** Assessing the health risks to the public and response Assessing the health risks to the public and response

workers.workers.

** Selecting personal protective equipment.Selecting personal protective equipment.

** Delineating areas where protection is needed.Delineating areas where protection is needed.

** Determining actual or potential effects on the environment.Determining actual or potential effects on the environment.

** Selecting actions to mitigate the hazards safely and Selecting actions to mitigate the hazards safely and effectively.effectively.

Toxic Atmosphere MonitorsToxic atmosphere monitoring is done to:Toxic atmosphere monitoring is done to:** identify airborne concentrations that could identify airborne concentrations that could

pose a toxic risk to response workers and pose a toxic risk to response workers and the public.the public.

** evaluate the need for and type of personal evaluate the need for and type of personal protective equipment.protective equipment.

** set up work zones or areas where set up work zones or areas where contaminants are or are not present.contaminants are or are not present.

PID Gas Meter/Detector

To be useful air monitoring instruments To be useful air monitoring instruments must be:must be:

** Portable and rugged.Portable and rugged.

** Easy to operate.Easy to operate.

** Inherently safe.Inherently safe.

** Able to generate reliable and useful Able to generate reliable and useful results.results.

PID Gas Meter/Detector

The response time, sensitivity, selectivity, The response time, sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy and precision of an instrument are accuracy and precision of an instrument are important in evaluating the reliability and important in evaluating the reliability and usefulness of the data the instrument usefulness of the data the instrument generates. generates.

PID Gas Meter/Detector Limitations & Considerations

Ionization Potential(IP)Ionization Potential(IP) Amount of energy required to displace an Amount of energy required to displace an

electronelectron Each chemical has unique IPEach chemical has unique IP PID must have IP greater than or equal to PID must have IP greater than or equal to

material desired to detect for accurate material desired to detect for accurate measurementmeasurement

Typical lamp is 11.7eVTypical lamp is 11.7eV

PID Gas Meter/Detector

Useful to detectUseful to detect

Most organic compoundsMost organic compounds

Well suited to aromatic compoundsWell suited to aromatic compounds

PID Gas Meter/Detector

Well suited forWell suited for Area monitoringArea monitoring Leak detectionLeak detection Qualitative measurementsQualitative measurements Establishing perimeters of contaminationEstablishing perimeters of contamination Air, water, soil screeningAir, water, soil screening

PID Gas Meter/Detector

Method of operationMethod of operation Creates ions by exposing test gas to UV Creates ions by exposing test gas to UV

light.light. Measures conductivity of the gases in the Measures conductivity of the gases in the

UV light field.UV light field.

PID Gas Meter/Detector

CalibrationCalibration Calibrated with calibration gas and Calibrated with calibration gas and

internal adjustmentinternal adjustment Reading on meter is therefore in Reading on meter is therefore in

reference to calibration gas, not actual reference to calibration gas, not actual field concentrationfield concentration

Record actual results as ppm-calibrant Record actual results as ppm-calibrant gasgas

References Cited

NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM®), 4th ed.(NMAM®), 4th ed.DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 94-113 DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 94-113 (August, 1994),(August, 1994),Cassinelli, M.E. & Cassinelli, M.E. & O'Connor, P.F. (pfo1@O'Connor, P.F. (pfo1@cdccdc..govgov)), Eds., Eds.

Bibliography

DiNardi Salvatore R. (1998) DiNardi Salvatore R. (1998) The The Occupational Environment-Its Evaluation Occupational Environment-Its Evaluation and Controland Control, AIHA, Fairfax, Virginia , AIHA, Fairfax, Virginia

Goetsch David L. (1999) Goetsch David L. (1999) Occupational Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and ManagersEngineers, and Managers, Prentice Hall, , Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Upper Saddle River, New Jersey