Personal particle exposure monitoring using nephelometry during haze in Brunei

Personal monitoring of airborne particulate matter using a portable nephelometer during the 1998 haze episode in Brunei Darussalam revealed significant differences in exposure patterns between different individuals depending on their activities, time, and location. Concentrations of airborne particles were monitored inside offices, homes, classrooms, motor vehicles, helicopters, and outdoors. Outdoor concentrations were considerably higher than those indoors mainly due to the widespread use of air-conditioning in Brunei. Most people in Brunei spend very little time outdoors, especially during severe haze episodes. There were considerable differences between measurements obtained with the personalDataRAM® and fixed site monitoring using a tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM®) due to differences in the measurement principles of the two instruments.