The aim of this study was to make a preliminary evaluation of the University of North Carolina passive aerosol sampler (UNC sampler) for personal air sampling of particles. Nine personal air samplings of respirable fraction were conducted in an open-pit mine, with pairwise UNC samplers and a respirable cyclone mounted on the chest of workers. UNC samples were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and to some extent energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Respirable cyclone filter samples were weighed. Correlations and particle elemental compositions were described. Microscopic imaging of the collection surface showed that the particles were heterogeneously deposited across the surface of the UNC sampler. Collected particles were shaped as gravel particles and the resulting particle size distribution in air showed a peak at ca. 3 µm aerodynamic diameter, similarly to what has previously been reported from the same mine. The elemental composition indicated mineral origin. All correlations between the airborne mass concentrations from UNC samplers and respirable cyclones (Pearson = 0.54 and Spearman = 0.43) and between pairs of parallel UNC samplers (Pearson = 0.55 and Spearman = 0.67) were weak. The UNC sampler mass concentrations were approximately 30 times higher than those measured with the respirable cyclone. In conclusion, the UNC sampler, when used for personal sampling in a mine, provides a reasonable particle size distribution and the deposited particles appeared to be of mineral origin and not from textile or skin but the approximately 30-fold overestimation of mass concentrations when comparing with respirable cyclone sampling indicates that further improvements are necessary. Positioning of the sampler may be critical and moving the UNC sampler from the chest to e.g. the top of a helmet might be an improvement. Grounding of the sampler in order to avoid static electricity might also be useful. The UNC sampler should continue to be researched for personal sampling, as passive sampling might become a useful alternative to more laborious sampling techniques.

这项研究的目的是对北卡罗来纳大学的被动气溶胶采样器（UNC采样器）进行个人颗粒空气采样的初步评估。在露天矿井中进行了九次可吸入部分的个人空气采样，使用成对的UNC采样器和安装在工人胸部的可吸入旋风分离器。UNC样品通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和某种程度上的能量色散X射线光谱（EDS）进行了分析。称重可呼吸的旋风过滤器样品。描述了相关性和颗粒元素组成。收集表面的显微成像表明，颗粒在UNC采样器的表面上异质沉积。收集的颗粒成形为砾石颗粒，并且所得的空气中的粒度分布在约200nm处出现峰值。空气动力学直径为3 µm，类似于先前在同一座矿山上报道的直径。元素组成表明矿物来源。UNC采样器和可吸入气旋的空气传播质量浓度（Pearson = 0.54和Spearman = 0.43）之间以及平行UNC采样器对之间的所有相关性（Pearson = 0.55和Spearman = 0.67）都是弱的。UNC采样器的质量浓度比使用可吸入旋风分离器测量的浓度高约30倍。总之，UNC采样器在用于矿山的个人采样时，可提供合理的粒度分布，沉积的颗粒似乎是矿物来源的，而不是来自纺织品或皮肤，但与可吸入旋风采样相比，质量浓度的高估了约30倍，这表明有必要进一步改进。采样器的位置可能很关键，将UNC采样器从胸部移动到例如头盔顶部可能会有所改善。为避免静电将采样器接地也可能很有用。应该继续研究UNC采样器用于个人采样，因为被动采样可能会成为费力的采样技术的有用替代方法。为避免静电将采样器接地也可能很有用。应该继续研究UNC采样器用于个人采样，因为被动采样可能会成为费力的采样技术的有用替代方法。为避免静电将采样器接地也可能很有用。应该继续研究UNC采样器用于个人采样，因为被动采样可能会成为费力的采样技术的有用替代方法。