Abstract
This review presents background material and literature documentation to supplement the “Interim Guide for ‘Respirable’ Mass Sampling” prepared by the AIHA Aerosol Technology Committee. If discusses the factors affecting and parameters describing particle deposition and retention in the human respiratory tract and reviews the theoretical and experimental data in the literature. Techniques and equipment used for aerosol sampling and analysis are described and evaluated in terms of realistic hazard evaluation, applicability to field conditions, and ability to satisfy standards and/or performance curves established by the Threshold Limits Committee of ACGIH and the British Medical Research Council (BMRC).