Robotic direct reading device with spatial, temporal, and PID sensors for laboratory VOC exposure assessment

Abstract

This study evaluated a novel robotic direct reading method that used a real-time location system to measure the spatial-concentration distribution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a chemistry laboratory. The CEMWIP II is a custom-made sensor that measures VOCs, temperature, humidity, and location, sending data wirelessly in real time to a remote location for display and storage. In this study, the CEMWIP II device was mounted on a robotic platform to create a CEMWIP II-mobile platform. The autonomous mobile platform was released from a corner of the room and allowed to travel randomly along an open floor with the goal of characterizing the spatial distribution of VOCs and identifying their sources in the laboratory. The experiment consisted of 12 runs made of permutations of four corner release sites and four beaker locations, with two beakers containing water and two containing the solvent acetone. The autonomous mobile platform was tasked with locating the two beakers of acetone. The sensor had a detection limit of 100 ppb and the confidence of detecting a source within a 1.46 m² area was p = 0.0005 by ANOVA. The CEMWIP II-mobile platform was able to measure the spatial distribution of VOCs within a laboratory that were associated with open solvent containers.

Keywords:

• CEMWIP
• direct reading
• exposure assessment
• real-time location system
• robotic
• VOC

Acknowledgments

K.K.B. and A.E.N. thanks the CDC Center for Control Disease and Prevention for their generous support through the Laboratory Safety Science and Innovation (LaSSI) Intramural Research Fund Awards. MeasureNet LLC designed and made the CEMWIP II device and software.

Disclaimer

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH.