PCE-PCO 1 Airborne Particle-Counting Hygiene Meter
Handheld laser particle counter for monitoring clean room particulate concentrations, indoor air quality and exposure to dust

This is an airborne particle-counting hygiene meter or dust measuring device for measuring the concentration of particles in the air. The handheld particle counter is ideal for monitoring clean rooms, indoor air quality, exposure to exhaust, tobacco or cigarette smoke and other harmful air pollutants, and levels of airborne dust. Cigarette smoke particles mainly are distributed in the size range from 0.1 to 1.0 micron.

A variety of materials are explosible in dust form. Some examples include: food (e.g., candy, sugar, spice, starch, flour and feed), grain, tobacco, plastics, wood, paper, pulp, rubber, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, coal and metals (e.g., aluminum, chromium, iron, magnesium and zinc). These materials are used in agriculture, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical production, furniture, textiles, fossil fuel power generation, recycling operations, metal working and processing (including additive manufacturing and 3D printing) and many other industries and processes.

In addition to being a combustion hazard, certain kinds of dust can be a health hazard. Exposure (such as skin contact, eye contact and inhalation) can be linked to sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose, itchy or red eyes, headaches, fatigue, fever, cough, shortness of breath, dermatitis, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia (e.g., Legionnaires’ disease and hypersensitivity pneumonitis) and cancer.