The purpose of air monitoring is to identify and quantify airborne contaminants in order to determine the level of worker protection needed. Initial screening for identification is often qualitative, i.e., the contaminant, or the class to which it belongs, is demonstrated to be present but the determination of its concentration (quantification) must await subsequent testing. Two principal approaches are available for identifying and/or quantifying airborne contaminants:
· The onsite use of direct-reading instruments
· Laboratory analysis of air samples obtained by gas sampling beg, filter, sorbent, or wet contaminant collection methods