One technique of measurement of the amount of filterable particulate matter suspended
in air which has been used in the past depends upon drawing a measured sample of air
(usually 1 000 linear feet) through a paper or
membranefilter. A measurement is made of the intensity of light transmitted through the dust spot
formed relative to that transmitted through an identical clean
filter. The dirtiness of the air is reported in terms of the
unit. This relates to the quantity of particulate material which produces an
optical density,
of 0.01 when measured by light
transmission at
and relative to the
transmission of an identical dust-free
filter taken as 100%. Thus a
filter which transmitted 50% relative to the clean
filter has an
absorbance of 0.301 or 30.1
units. This is not a recommended measure of filterable particulate matter since the
size, colour and other properties of the
aerosol and the air in which it is suspended affect the results.
Source:
PAC, 1990, 62, 2167
(Glossary of atmospheric chemistry terms (Recommendations 1990))
on page 2180