The workplace air sampling project was intended to evaluate and improve personal sampling methods used to detect harmful toxic organic compounds in occupational hygiene environments.
Errors of both the sampling and analytical step of the measurement procedure were quantified.
In addition, the sampling exercise offered the unique opportunity to compare the performance of the various participating laboratories and the related measurement techniques with the performance criteria as outlined in the EN 482 standard "General requirements for the performance of procedures for workplace air sampling" and this, under a variety of environmental influences representative for workplace air conditions. %
The sampling exercises were organized at the coordinator's institute where a purpose-built facility is available.
The 38 project participants took samplers (actively and/or passively) at the same time from the same well controlled test atmosphere.
Various groups of organic compounds in air were generated at a wide concentration range and the concentration of the synthetic workplace air was determined by direct reference to a primary standard. %
The sampling intercomparisons have provided the laboratories with an opportunity to locate individual errors and have allowed a review of the state of the art accuracy and precision of currently used measurement methods.