Inertial impaction theory was used in the design and construction of a prototype PM 2.5 aerosol sampler. This prototype, consisting of just an impaction stage and a pump to move air through it, was subjected to collocation tests with MiniVolTM samplers at different sampling sites, and filter analysis by means of stratified particle counting under an optical microscope. The average percent error for the collocation tests was 20.7% and the efficiency computed from stratified counting was 96.4%. While no definite conclusions regarding the prototype’s performance may as yet be made, the trend in the collocation data and the high computed efficiency suggest that the construction of a low cost sampler may indeed be feasible.
[Presented at the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas (SPP) Congress, 2004.]