DIN EN 13205-4:2014-09

This standard describes the performance requirements for samplers allowing the inhalable, thoracic and respirable aerosol fractions present in workplace atmospheres to be sampled. This involves compliance with the sampling conventions defined in EN 481. The requirements are applicable only to the process of sampling the airborne particles from the air, not to the process of analysing particles collected by the process of sampling. Part 1 specifies how the performance of aerosol measuring procedures is assessed with respect to the general requirements of EN 482, through the combination of errors arising in the sampling, sample transportation/storage and sample preparation/analysis stages. Different test procedures and types of evaluation are described in the other parts of EN 13205 in order to enable application of EN 13205 to a wide variety of instruments. In detail, three different performance tests for sampled concentration (Parts 2, 4 and 5) and a transport test (Part 6) of loaded collection substrates are described. The three tests differ in the amount of information obtained by the test and its corresponding cost. The first test method determines the sampling efficiency curve of a candidate sampler, the second compares concentrations sampled from three laboratory test atmospheres by a candidate sampler and a (previously) validated sampler, and the third method compares concentrations sampled from a specific workplace by a candidate sampler and a (previously) validated sampler. Additionally, a method for determining equivalence between aerosol samplers at specific workplaces and an alternative handling test are presented. The standard series enables manufacturers and users of aerosol samplers to adopt a consistent approach to sampler validation, and provide a framework for the assessment of sampler performance with respect to the criteria specified in EN 481 and EN 482. This standard has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 137 "Assessment of workplace exposure to chemical and biological agents" (secretariat: DIN). The responsible German committee is Working Group NA 095-03-01-01 "Staub" ("Particulate matter") of Working Committee "Messstrategien und Anforderungen an Messverfahren" ("Measurement strategies and requirements for test methods") of the NASG.