Breakthrough Time and Adsorption Capacity of Respirator Cartridges

A model developed in previous studies was applied to investigate the respirator cartridge contaminant breakthrough of 121 different chemical compounds. Included in this set of 121 contaminants are representative examples of various types of organic compounds, (e.g., acetates, ketones, aromatics, alcohols, amines, alkanes, chlorinated hydrocarbons). Intrinsic to the model are two important parameters, k' (a rate constant) and tau (50% breakthrough time). Values of the two parameters pertinent to an assault concentration of 1000 ppm were determined for each of the 121 organic compounds. These values were used to calculate the breakthrough time at specified fractional breakthrough as well as the respirator cartridge loading capacity under various conditions. An approach was presented that permits the determination of contaminant loading capacity (on carbon) as a function of breakthrough time at a specified assault concentration. The effect of contaminant assault concentration on the saturation capacity was investigated for various combinations of nine different compounds and three different types of respirator cartridges. Calculated saturation capacity data derived from application of the model compare favorably (+/- 5%) with corresponding experimental data. Saturation capacities calculated by using the model addressed in this study were compared with corresponding results previously calculated by others using the Dubinin adsorption isotherm.