A modified personal air sampler with an inhalable entry efficiency for collecting pesticide aerosols and vapours simultaneously was studied. An XAD2 cartridge was constructed to fit into the sampler housing and the vapour trapping efficiency of the cartridge was determined for three pesticides using a dynamic U-tube test system. Tests were performed with different amounts of pesticides (1.7 up to 1450 mug) and duration of sampling (30 - 120 min) under various environmental conditions. Trapping efficiency varied from 87% up to 100% for dichlorvos and methomyl, but was slightly lower for chlorothalonil (72% up to 79%). No break-through was observed. The efficiency was not affected by humidity, temperature, pesticide loading and sampling duration. Penetration of solid aerosols through the cartridge at normal sampling flow rate (21.min-1) was below 5%. It is concluded that the present sampler enables adequate simultaneous sampling of pesticide aerosols and vapours.
