DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATIC, AUTOSAMPLING ATMOSPHERIC LEAD MONITOR

Lead is a widespread environmental contaminant occurring in airborne, soil, and aqueous media. It is a deleterious, cumulative body poison and its health effects are usually not reversible. Indoor and outdoor small arms firing ranges may contain serious airborne contamination from lead and other heavy metals that potentially threaten the safety of personnel that use these facilities as part of their training regimen. The purpose of this effort is to develop a compact, portable, cost-effective lead in air monitor that allows personnel to use the range undisturbed, but provides a record of ambient lead concentration and warns of a potential health risk. The instrument will be capable of both AC and DC operation. Innovations proposed will allow air samples to be taken automatically, potentially from several locations within the range so that one instrument can service an entire facility. The unit will also be autocalibrating to allow long-term operation without requiring maintenance nor disrupting the concentration of field personnel. The proposed designs will also permit expansion of instrument capabilities to other metals and soil/water analyses. The proposed technology will also be applicable as the basis for an inexpensive process for removing lead from the surrounding air as it is produced, thereby reducing or eliminating the health hazard in real time. This would also decrease contamination of surrounding soil and water, saving immense clean-up costs.