Advisor(s)

Claudiu Lungu

Committee Member(s)

Jacob Shedd
Jonghwa Oh

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

6-18-2026

Degree Name

Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)

School

School of Public Health

Department

Environmental Health Sciences

Abstract

Inhalation is the most common exposure pathway. With the significant presence of respiratory exposure, respirator cartridges are widely used as personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce exposure to gases, vapors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study evaluated the breakthrough time of respirator cartridges under various VOC environments commonly encountered in beauty salons and automotive repair shops. Breakthrough time is the duration a respirator cartridge can provide protection before contaminants can be inhaled and the respirator cartridge is no longer effective. The breakthrough time of three VOCs was examined: acetone, toluene, and m-xylene. Using a custom designed test chamber equipped with an in-line syringe pump, respirator cartridges were positioned in the center of the chamber and exposed to a known concentration of each VOC (200 ppm) at a steady flowrate of 16 liters per minute (LPM). In addition, the setup was equipped with the upstream and downstream photoionization detectors (PIDs) to continuously monitor the VOC concentrations. Breakthrough was considered as the point at which 10% (20 ppm) of the concentration was detected by the downstream PID. Two trials of acetone, two trials of toluene, and two trials of m-xylene were conducted. Results highlighted significant variability in breakthrough times between the three VOCs. Acetone displayed the shortest service life, with breakthrough occurring approximately 6.5 hours for both trials. In comparison, m-xylene displayed the longest amount of time to breakthrough around 31.5 hours, and toluene around 22 hours. These differences are accredited to factors such as these VOCs’ ability to adsorb faster due to polarity, lower boiling point, and higher volatility. Several limitations, including potential system leaks, fluctuations in airflow, and inconsistent injection rates, affected the concentration stability, directly impacting the breakthrough times. Regardless of these challenges, the study results provided reason for more respiratory studies to be conducted, raising awareness for proper use of respirator cartridges.

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