Wearable real-time direct reading naphthalene and VOC personal exposure monitor

W. F. Hug; R. Bhartia; R. D. Reid; M. R. Reid; P. Oswal; A. L. Lane; K. Sijapati; K. Sullivan; J. E. Hulla; J. Snawder; S. P. Proctor

doi:10.1117/12.918945

9 May 2012 Wearable real-time direct reading naphthalene and VOC personal exposure monitor

W. F. Hug, R. Bhartia, R. D. Reid, M. R. Reid, P. Oswal, A. L. Lane, K. Sijapati, K. Sullivan, J. E. Hulla, J. Snawder, S. P. Proctor

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8366, Advanced Environmental, Chemical, and Biological Sensing Technologies IX; 836606 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.918945
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2012, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

Naphthalene has been identified by the National Research Council as a serious health hazard for personnel working with jet fuels and oil-based sealants containing naphthalene. We are developing a family of miniature, self-contained, direct reading personal exposure monitors (PEMs) to detect, differentiate, quantify, and log naphthalene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breathing zone of the wearer or in the hands of an industrial hygienist with limits of detection in the low parts per billion (ppb) range. The VOC Dosimeter (VOCDos) described here is a PEM that provides real-time detection and data logging of exposure as well as accumulated dose, with alarms addressing long term and immediate exposure limits. We will describe the sensor, which employs optical methods with a unique excitation source and rapidly refreshable vapor concentrator. This paper addresses the rapidly increasing awareness of the health risks of inhaling jet fuel vapors by Department of Defense (DOD) personnel engaged in or around jet fueling operations. Naphthalene is a one to three percent component of the 5 billion gallons of jet fuels used annually by DOD. Naphthalene is also a component of many other petroleum products such as asphalt and other oil-based sealants. The DOD is the single largest user of petroleum fuels in the United States (20% of all petroleum fuel used). The VOCDos wearable sensor provides real-time detection and data logging of exposure as well as accumulated dose. We will describe the sensor, which employs endogenous fluorescence from VOCs accumulated on a unique, rapidly refreshable, patent-pending concentrator, excited by a unique deep ultraviolet excitation source.

Citation Download Citation

W. F. Hug, R. Bhartia, R. D. Reid, M. R. Reid, P. Oswal, A. L. Lane, K. Sijapati, K. Sullivan, J. E. Hulla, J. Snawder, and S. P. Proctor "Wearable real-time direct reading naphthalene and VOC personal exposure monitor", Proc. SPIE 8366, Advanced Environmental, Chemical, and Biological Sensing Technologies IX, 836606 (9 May 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.918945

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available