Extracting dust from soil: A simple solution to a tricky task

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2008-12, Vol.407 (1), p.589-593
• Main Authors: Ljung, Karin, Torin, Andreas, Smirk, Michael, Maley, Fiona, Cook, Angus, Weinstein, Philip
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air; Air - analysis; Air - standards; Air pollution; Air quality; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; bioavailability; Biological organs; Concentration (process); Construction; Cost analysis; cost benefit analysis; Digestion; Drying; Dust; Dust - analysis; Dust extraction; environmental factor; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - instrumentation; Environmental Monitoring - methods; environmental temperature; Exact sciences and technology; extraction; extraction method; filter; Filtering; Filtration; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Fractionation; Health; health impact; Indoor pollution and occupational exposure; Lung bioaccessibility; lungs; Maintenance; Materials handling; medical instrumentation; methodology; Particle Size; Particle size fractionation; particles; particulates; Permanent magnets; PM 10; PM10; Pollution; priority journal; respiratory disease; Sampling; Separation; sieving; Soil; Soil (material); Soil - analysis; soil emission; Soil moisture; soil pollution; Soils; Solutions; Stokes law (fluid mechanics); Stokes's law; sulfate; Tubes; Well equipment
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.09.007

Air quality is commonly assessed by the ambient concentration of airborne particles sized smaller than 10 µm (PM 10). However, in addition to concentration, particle shape as well as the type and bioaccessibility of elements adsorbed to this particulate fraction are likely to be related to subsequent respiratory health effects. In order to investigate this relationship, a relatively large mass of the relevant size fraction is needed since sample preparation is necessary prior to analysis. Most existing methods for sampling dust have been developed for analysing the dust directly, without prior handling or digestion. In order to provide sufficient material to be used for subsequent bioaccessibility analysis, these methods require repetitive and time consuming sampling as well as special equipment and procedures which are high in both cost and maintenance. This paper describes an inexpensive and relatively simple procedure for extracting the PM 10 fraction from soil to be used for lung bioaccessibility studies. The method described involves dry and wet sieving in order to exclude larger size fractions as far as possible. Vacuum filtering of the wet-sieved soil solution through a 10 μm mesh was then employed to extract the required fraction. In order to avoid frequent blocking of the mesh, Stokes's law was applied in the construction of a tube which enables separation of the solution holding the smallest fraction.