What to know
For rapid quartz analysis (RQA) with the Field Analysis of Silica Tool (FAST) you will need certain hardware and software.
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Overview
These hardware and software resources and requirements will help you implement FAST for RQA.
Detailed guide
Hardware
- Sampling pump and respirable cyclone
- Laptop computer
- Portable FTIR spectrometer with transmission module (KBr optics), commercially available options include:
- Agilent (model: Cary 630) NIOSH-developed macro package for Agilent
- Bruker Corporation (model: Alpha) NIOSH-developed macro package for Bruker
- Perkin Elmer (model: SpectrumTwo™) NIOSH-developed macro package for Perkin Elmer
- Thermo Scientific™ (model: Nicolet™ iS5™) NIOSH-developed macro package for Thermo Scientific
- other comparable transmission FTIR instrument
- Agilent (model: Cary 630) NIOSH-developed macro package for Agilent
- Sample bracket and sample cradle (free designs for 3D printed version available from the NIH 3D Exchange webpage
- "FAST-ready" sampling cassettes, such as:
- coal mine dust sampling cassette, or
- FTIR cassette from Zefon (part number: 7450PVC-CF-FTIR, available by contacting the company)
- coal mine dust sampling cassette, or
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Software
- FAST software
- FTIR spectrometer software (from the manufacturer of your instrument)
- Spreadsheet software (e.g., Excel or any other common spreadsheet software)
What is rapid quartz analysis?
Rapid quartz analysis (RQA) is a field-based approach for monitoring airborne respirable quartz concentrations using direct-on-filter analysis with portable Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) instruments. The monitoring approach is specific for quartz, the most common form of crystalline silica encountered in the mining environment.