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Errors in determining the flow rate of Hirst-type pollen traps

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Abstract

Standardisation of methods of pollen monitoring networks is vital for data quality. In pollen monitoring networks in Europe, the Hirst-type trap is standard. Hirst traps are calibrated with handheld rotameters. We detected a systematic error in the flow rate calibrated by these standard handheld rotameters. We measured the flow rate of 19 Hirst traps from three commercial brands during calibration but also during monitoring. We used three different rotameters supplied by the manufacturers of the traps, respectively. The actual air flow rate was measured using an electronic heat anemometer with negligible air flow resistance. After calibration to 10 l/min, the rotameter was removed, which led to a significant increase in the flow rate in the range of 10.5–17.2 l/min, a systematic error between 5 and 72%. No significant difference was found between the different commercial trap brands. The analysis revealed that the error depended on the type of the rotameter and the individual trap. The error may be explained by the additional air flow resistance of each rotameter. The total resistance of the system—trap plus rotameter—is higher during calibration when the rotameter is held on the inlet compared to the routine monitoring without the rotameter. Depending on the characteristic curve of the suction pump in the trap (fan), the air flow rate increases to values considerably higher than 10 l/min. Thus, monitoring is done under a higher flow rate than that was calibrated. In order to obtain comparable data within a monitoring network, a solution for correction of this systematic error seems advisable, preferably in cooperation with the manufacturers.

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Notes

  1. See, for example, http://www.lanzoni.it/vpps-2010.html.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all organisations, their representatives and members for any support and helpful comments, specially the national and European working groups on standardisation in the VDI/DIN/KRdL 4252 and in CEN WG 39, the participants at the VDI/DIN/KRdL and CEN meetings in Berlin in 2015, Vienna, 2016, and at the ESA meeting in Lyon, 2016, when presenting and discussing the results, the Polleninformation Service of Germany PID, the European Society for Aerobiology and the International Aerobiology Association, namely S. Barral, U. Berger, K.C. Bergmann, M. Bonini, B. Clot, V. Dietze, C. Galan, R. Heesen, U. Kaminsky, M. Kmenta, C. Lhuillery, S. Monnier, S. Nehr, W. Straff, M. Thibaudon, M. Werchan. Further we thank W. Wosniok, Institute for Statistics, University of Bremen, for his assistance in the statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Allergy and Environment (ZAUM), Technical University Munich/Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, 80802, Munich, Germany

    Jose Oteros, Jeroen Buters & Carsten Schmidt-Weber

  2. Christine Kühne - Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE), Davos, Switzerland

    Jeroen Buters

  3. Department of Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of RWTH, Aachen, Germany

    Gottfried Laven

  4. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of Aachen, Aachen, Germany

    Stefani Röseler

  5. Pollenflug Nord, Ganderkesee, Germany

    Reinhard Wachter

  6. PID - German Pollen Information Service Foundation, Berlin, Germany

    Reinhard Wachter

  7. Ökologiebüro, TIEM Integrated Environmental Monitoring, 28205, Bremen, Germany

    Frieder Hofmann

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  1. Jose Oteros
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Correspondence to Jose Oteros.

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Oteros, J., Buters, J., Laven, G. et al. Errors in determining the flow rate of Hirst-type pollen traps. Aerobiologia 33, 201–210 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-016-9467-x

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