A Side-by-side Comparison of Three Allergen Sampling Methods in Settled House Dust

Overview

Journal J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

Specialties Environmental Health
Public Health

Date 2014 May 8

PMID 24802556

Citations 2

Authors

Megan Sandel

Johnna S Murphy

Sherry L Dixon

John L Adgate

Ginger L Chew

Samuel Dorevitch

David E Jacobs

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Understanding allergen exposure and potential relationships with asthma requires allergen sampling methods, but methods have yet to be standardized. We compared allergen measurements from dust collected from 200 households with asthmatics and conducted a side-by-side vacuum sampling of settled dust in each home's kitchen, living room and subject's bedroom by three methods (EMM, HVS4 and AIHA). Each sample was analyzed for dust mite, cockroach, mouse, rat, cat and dog allergens. The number of samples with sufficient dust mass for allergen analysis was significantly higher for Eureka Mighty Mite (EMM) and high volume small surface sampler (HVS4) compared with American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) in all rooms and surfaces tested (all P<0.05). The allergen concentration (weight of allergen divided by total weight of dust sampled) measured by the EMM and HVS4 methods was higher than that measured by the AIHA. Allergen loadings (weight of allergen divided by surface area sampled) were significantly higher for HVS4 than for AIHA and EMM. Cockroach and rat allergens were rarely detected via any method. The EMM method is most likely to collect sufficient dust from surfaces in the home and is relatively practical and easy. The AIHA and HVS4 methods suffer from insufficient dust collection and/or difficulty in use.

Citing Articles

Sampling Devices for Indoor Allergen Exposure: Pros and Cons.

Grant T, Rule A, Koehler K, Wood R, Matsui E Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2019; 19(1):9.

PMID: 30747291 PMC: 10371220. DOI: 10.1007/s11882-019-0833-y.

Comparison of allergens collected from furnace filters and vacuum floor dust.

Allenbrand R, Barnes C, Mohammed M, Gard L, Pacheco F, Kennedy K Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016; 118(1):108-109.

PMID: 27839669 PMC: 5929112. DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2016.10.001.

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