One of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies recently used a portable FTIR multi-parameter gas analyser (the Gasmet DX4030) from Quantitech to check air quality in an office after several odour complaints. Monitoring up to 25 compounds simultaneously, the FTIR demonstrated compliance with occupational safety limits.
Although many gases are odourless, odour complaints should be investigated, says UK-based Quantitech, because they could indicate a potential safety problem. It is often necessary to conduct air analysis to ensure that levels are below those specified in EH40/2005, updated 2007, Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs). In addition to these WELs, the World Health Organisation and other organisations issue odour thresholds, which can be used to assess the likely source of an odour problem.
The pharmaceutical company used a Gasmet DX 4030 to assess the office air. The results demonstrated that there were no reasons for concern from a safety perspective.
In addition to gas analysis, samples were taken from potential sources of contamination, such as the carpet, radiator vent, skirting boards, whiteboard cleaner and marker pens. Although elevated levels of compounds such as dichloromethane, dichloroethane and limonene were observed when a marker pen and cleaner were tested, the levels did not exceed the WELs for these substances. However, odour thresholds were exceeded for limonene and methylcyclopentane.
Quantitech's Dr Andrew Hobson, who carried out the test, said: "Traditionally, one of the challenges for workplace monitoring has been to test for every gas that might be a problem. Generally speaking, it is necessary to guess which gases are most likely to be present and select the appropriate monitoring technology accordingly.
"The great news is that the Gasmet DX4030 generates an infrared spectrum of the air, which can be interrogated after sampling to identify hundreds of compounds, thereby substantially reducing the risk of failing to identify a significant compound."
