Dust Monitoring & Prediction

Capabilities
Biospheric Engineering Ltd. have both real-time and compliance dust monitoring capability. This is supplemented with dust prediction software which simulates dust emissions from point and area sources.
Real-time monitoring using an Optical Scattering dust monitoring instrument can provide data on Total Solid Particles TSP, PM10, PM5 and PM2.5 simultaneously. This information is linked directly to a wind-speed and direction indicator so that individual emission sources can be identified and quantified.   Compliance monitoring using the method outlined in VDI 2119:1996 Determination of Dust Precipitation with Collecting Pots Made of Glass (Bergerhoff Method) or Plastic as required by the Environmental Protection Agency or Planning Authorities can be carried out on a continuous or as-required basis. In addition to dust monitoring Biospheric Engineering Ltd. have a suite of dust prediction software which can model the emissions due to: Wind erosion on stockpiles Dust from unpaved roadways Loading by truck & shovel Dumping by truck Conveyor belt handling Crushers Vehicle movements Blasting

General Information on Dust

Dust in the air has always been a natural occurrence. The action of wind over dry ground will carry small particles in the air. Large emissions of dust will occur when volcanos erupt. Activities of man will also add to the creation of natural dusts. For example, the agricultural working of land, tilling, ploughing, etc. will cause increases in dust creation as will use of dedicated lengths of land for roads, especially unpaved roads, or extraction of minerals from the ground and their subsequent handling. Many dust particles which are created by industrial activities are proving to be a hazard to the long term health of those who injest these particles into their respiratory tracts.

The extent to which dust particles can become a nuisance or a hazard will depend on the amount of the particles which become airborne and the extent to which they spread over a large area. The larger particles will not remain airborne for long but the smaller the particle the greater the distance over which it might travel.