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# MiniVol TAS Particulate Matter Monitor

This is a revision from March 09, 2017 16:29. View all revisions

What is the Minivol TAS?

What kinds of monitoring can the MiniVol do?

How is MiniVol used?

Get involved

FAQ

## What is the MiniVol TAS?

The MiniVol Tactical Air Sampler is a low-volume, battery powered, filter-based Particulate Matter (PM) sampler developed by Airmetrics. In filter-based samplers, size-sorted particles are captured on a filter that is then weighed ('gravimetric analysis') to determine the concentration of particulate matter in the air pumped through the monitor (see more in the wiki). The MiniVol is designed for 24-hour samples that correspond with Federal Reference Method (FRM) monitors, but due to their lower air volume are not considered FRM-grade.

Public Lab has two MiniVols that can be loaned out for monitoring.

The MiniVol comes with chargers, outdoor mounts, and consumables neatly mounted inside its shipment-ready box:

Outdoor mounts:

_

Clockwise from top: Minivol, PM2.5 impactor, PM10 impactor, manual, battery pack.

### How the MinVol works

The minivol has two different impactors, one for PM2.5, and one for PM10 (pictured up top, on the right). Impactors work to inertially sort particles:

The MiniVol impactor:

Because the MiniVol uses filters and an impactor, it must have the grease on its impactor plate replaced and cleaned every five sample periods, and it requires a new filter for every sample.

## What kinds of monitoring can the MiniVol do?

The MiniVol usually collects Particulate Matter (PM) on a filter for analysis. Tedlar bags can also be attached and used to collect gasses as well.

The MiniVol is designed for monitoring PM10 or PM2.5 over 24 hours. It cannot measure both PM10 and PM2.5 at the same time. Filters may be subjected to different types of analysis to speciate (identify) what the PM is made of.

The MiniVol samples a smaller volume of air than a Federal Reference Method monitor and has the best correspondence with FRMs at moderate-high PM concentrations.

PP on what types of analysis are available

## Laboratory Services

Filters may be subject to several different types of analysis. Different analysis procedures require different types of filters, and the analysis procedure must be decided ahead of time.

Gravimetric analysis (weighing the filter) is the most basic analysis to which other procedures are added.

Analysis Filter Cost Lab(s)
Gravimetric Analysis (NIOSH 500) PTFE Filter, PVC Filter $20,$25 pre-loaded in cassettes ($30 fee for lost cassettes) Chester LabNET, Bureau Veritas XRF for total Silicon PFTE Filter$30 +Gravimetric analysis Chester LabNET
XRF for metals (38 metals) PTFE Filter $70 +Gravimetric Analysis Chester LabNET XRD for Quartz PVC filter (must be loaded into cassettes manually)$65 +Gravimetric Analysis Bureau Veritas
XRD for Quartz, Cristobalite PVC filter (must be loaded into cassettes manually) $75 +Gravimetric Analysis Bureau Veritas XRD for Quartz, Cristobalite and Tridymite (NIOSH 7500) PVC filter (must be loaded into cassettes manually)$85 +Gravimetric Analysis Bureau Veritas

Prices quoted here are estimates and do not reflect actual lab prices.

Lab contact information:

• Chester LabNET, 12242 SW Garden Place, Tigard OR 97223. Phone: 503.624.2183
• Bureau Veritas, 22345 Roethel Drive, Novi MI 48375. Phone: 248.344.2671

Labs for organic/gas analysis:

## how is the MiniVol used?

To deploy a MiniVol requires several steps outlined in the activities below. The MiniVol requires maintenance: once-yearly calibration and a cleaning every five sampling periods. To deploy the MiniVol in the field requires identifying a monitoring site and installation location, pre-deployment preparation, deployment, and analysis of laboratory results.

Public Lab has two MiniVols available to loan:

Many calculations in the activities require calculations. All equations in the MiniVol manual are implemented in the Open Document Format spreadsheet MiniVol Calibration. versions of this spreadsheet updated with the current calibration specific to each MiniVol are available on their equipment wiki pages (above).

__ MiniVol_calibration.ods

The spreadsheet was created with LibreOffice

The MiniVol TAS manual is available for download on the Airmetrics website

## Get involved

Help out -- look at the activities below to learn how to try these techniques out, and the questions section for some of our as-yet unsolved challenges. Post your own questions to help flesh out this documentation.

### Activities

Activities should include a materials list, costs and a step-by-step guide to construction with photos. Learn what makes a good activity here.