The Sampler in detail

The very simple way in which samples can be taken using the PARTICLEVER sampling device allows for a high number of possible uses.

It is a tool primarily for use by industrial hygienists, whether internal or external to the company or laboratory. Managers, engineers, and technicians in charge of health and safety can use the device and take exposure measurements for internal campaigns. The company or laboratory can thereby acquire its own experience of the situation in its workplace.

Occupational healthcare professionals can also use this tool themselves when they have teams that can take samples in the field. They can thus help to shed some light on the particles present in the workplace and conduct effective preventive work thanks to the availability of clear and quantified data.

The part of the general public that is aware, especially associations, can easily take samples and participate in the general understanding of nanoparticles and nanomaterials in the air.

PARTICLEVER is so easy that it can be used for continuous monitoring or as a dosimeter.

The tool is so simple that it can be used for monitoring or dosimetry. It can therefore be directly handled by operators. This can be very useful during handling operations in which the risk is considered to be high, and where exposure requires constant measuring.

The PARTICLEVER sampling device was designed to be compact enough to be easily worn by operators less than 30 cm from the respiratory tract.

Such sampling complies with the requirements of standards for a representative exposure measurement, even if the operator is doing something while walking (such as going around on an inspection).

This gives a very significant advantage over bulky expert devices that must be placed in a static position or hand-held. In these two cases, the measurement cannot be used as a true assessment of exposure.

The PARTICLEVER sampling device can be worn on the neck using a lanyard or fixed to a pocket using a metal clip. It is not much heavier than a smartphone. Furthermore, innovations have been added to the fluid circuit in order to significantly reduce sound levels. These innovations make it more acceptable for operators to wear them for extended and repeated periods, even in calm environments.

The sampling device can also be used in a static position for atmospheric measurements.

It can easily be installed in a static position using devices such as a tripod to take atmospheric samples. Its compact size also allows the device to be set up in especially confined locations and opens up new possibilities of measurements at the heart of processes or handling operations.

The PARTICLEVER sampling device is so easy to use that it can be fully controlled by an operator. There is only one button to start and stop the device.

Two light-emitting diodes are used to view the sampling device’s operating status. The first indicates if sampling is in progress using a flashing green light; the second is a charge level indicator (green for over 80%, orange between 30% and 80% and red for less than 30%).

The PARTICLEVER sampling device is compliant with the NF EN ISO 13137 standard on Pumps for the personal sampling of chemical and biological agents.

The device‘s battery lasts over 8 hours and is recharged using a mini-USB port. The flow rate is automatically set to 1 liter per minute and is compliant with the standard’s requirements in terms of stability (± 5%).

It is very easy to insert a blank cassette by simply pushing in a connection tube. Even if it is incorrectly inserted, the sampling device will detect the fault (abnormally low pressure) and will indicate a fault. Once the sampling is complete, it is just as easy to take out the cassette and insert it into its protective case.

Highly innovating features have been built-into the sampling device to secure the protocol’s application. They are based on the use of RFID (radio frequency identification) chips.

RFID chips are inserted into the collection cassettes and provide traceability from manufacture up to sample analysis by the laboratory. They are also used to store data. The sample-taking device can communicate with the cassette and will write start and stop date and time data on it. This data can then be accessed by the PARTICLEVER laboratory to find out the exact sampling duration and, therefore, the volume of air that was sampled. So even if the sampling sheet is missing or incorrect, PARTICLEVER can still deliver accurate measurements.

Another feature was also added to secure start-ups.

When the PARTICLEVER sampling device is started, an identification token is always requested. This makes it possible to keep operators from mistakenly swapping their sampling devices when leaving the shop floor. When clocking back on to a new shift, each operator will only be able to start the sampling device they used previously by presenting the identification token.

The identification token can also be put to good use to secure atmospheric sampling. By keeping the identification token on their person, when they return (for example 8 hours later) the person in charge of sampling can be sure that the sample has been taken for the correct duration. Indeed, if someone turns off the sampling device, it is not possible to restart it without the token.