Investigating penetration processes of mineral dust, including asbestos dust, through materials used in personal protective equipment

This research task consisted in adapting a stand for testing the index of dust tightness of clothing materials to the requirements of the gravimetric method of investigating the permeation of real dust particles. Moreover, a handle for samples of clothing materials was designed and constructed. It is part of a stand for testing filtration with the sodium chloride aerosol method. A two-chamber cell for the permeation of real dust particles through fabrics, laminated with water vapour permeable membranes was designed and made.Selected clothing materials were tested with the developed test methods, with the use of real mineral dust and artificially generated aerosols of solid particles of various shape.The efficiency of the protection against solid particles, including real asbestos dust, of 6 types of clothing ensembles and respiratory protective equipment was tested.