Sample Submission Guidelines for Environmental Monitoring Exhaust Air Dust Collection Devices

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1. Exhaust air debris collection filters, membranes, or matrices measuring up to 6 cm x 9.5 cm can be placed lengthwise in a 50 ml conical tube.

a. For matrices suspended in the exhaust air stream, the upward facing side of the matrix should face the center of the collection tube.

b. For thin filters placed perpendicular to the air stream, the side of the filter in facing the airflow should face the center of the collection tube.

2. Swabs of plenums, prefilters, dust, or other surfaces can be placed in a 2 ml microcentrifuge tube and the swab head either snapped or cut so that only the swab head is in the tube. Collect as much debris/dust as the swab will hold from the dirtiest portion of the surfaces being swabbed.

3. A 200 ul amount of exhaust air dust may be collected and placed directly in a 2.0 ml microcentrifuge tube for testing.