AbstractA prototype Environmental Monitoring Device (EMD) has been developed as a simple means for inexpensive, routine determination of site severities. The EMD is a cartridge that can be connected to an inexpensive pumping unit to collect an atmospheric sample. The field procedures are extremely simple and have been done routinely by individuals with no chemical training. Four filters within the cartridge selectively react with and permanently trap pollutants from the air drawn through the cartridge. The first filter collects particulates. The second is o-tolidine impregnated Whatman #41 filter paper to collect gaseous chlorine species. Silver nitrate impregnated paper collects reactive sulfur gases, and the fourth filter paper is impregnated with sodium hydroxide to react with and collect sulfur dioxide. After atmospheric sampling, the cartridges are returned via mail to a central analytical lab. Procedures have been developed for easy and rapid determination of the quantities of pollutants on the filters by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence. Laboratory and field measurements from a number of locations within the IBM Corporation have been made and will be reported. The EMD approach is providing a large data base on indoor atmospheric pollutants that could affect electronic equipment. The approach could easily be extended to numerous other applications.
ENERGY DISPERSION X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS FOR ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
