This European Standard specifies methods for testing aerosol samplers under prescribed laboratory conditions, and performance requirements that are specific to aerosol samplers. These performance requirements, which include conformity with the EN 481 sampling conventions, apply only to the process of sampling the airborne particles from the air, not to the process of analysing particles collected by the process of sampling. Although analysis of samples collected in the course of testing is usually necessary in order to evaluate the sampler performance, the specified test methods ensure that analytical errors are kept very low during testing and do not contribute significantly to the end result. The determination of analytical errors and factors related to them (for example the bias, precision and limit of detection of the analytical method) is outside the scope of this standard. Where the aerosol sampler requires the use of an external (rather than integral) pump, the pump is not subject to the requirements of this standard.

EN 482 contains general performance requirements for methods used for determining the concentrations of chemical agents in workplace atmospheres. These performance requirements include maximum values of expanded uncertainty (a combination of random and non-random measurement uncertainty) achievable under prescribed laboratory conditions for the methods to be used. The requirements of EN 482 apply to a complete measurement procedure, a combination of the stages consisting of sampling, sample transport/storage and sample preparation/analysis. This standard specifies how the performance of aerosol measurement procedures is assessed with respect to the general requirements of EN 482, through the combination of errors arising in the sampling, sample transportation/storage and sample preparation/analysis stages.

This standard applies to all samplers used for the health-related sampling of particles in workplace air, whatever their mode of operation. Different test procedures and types of evaluation are included to enable application of this standard to a wide variety of instruments. The standard shall enable manufacturers and users of aerosol sampling instruments to adopt a consistent approach to sampler validation, and provide a framework for the assessment of sampler performance with respect to EN 481 and EN 482. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer of aerosol samplers to inform the user of the sampler performance under the laboratory conditions¹⁾ specified in this European Standard. It is the responsibility of the user to ensure that the sampler complies with the overall uncertainty requirements of EN 482 under the actual conditions of use.

¹⁾ The inhalable convention is undefined for particle sizes in excess of 100 μm or for wind speeds greater than 4 m/s. The tests required to assess performance are therefore limited to these conditions. Should such large particle sizes or wind speeds actually exist at the time of sampling, it is possible that different samplers meeting this standard may give different results.