Measuring personal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) among rural Honduran women: A field evaluation of the Ultrasonic Personal Aerosol Sampler (UPAS)

We measured 24-hour average personal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) among rural Honduran women using a lightweight, gravimetric monitor - the Ultrasonic Personal Aerosol Sampler (UPAS). Performance of the UPAS was compared with a commonly used gravimetric pump, cyclone, and filter sampling system. We observed strong agreement and correlation (Spearman rho = 0.91; PM2.5 concentration range: 19- 120 mu g/m(3)) between 43 paired measures, supporting the use of the UPAS as a personal exposure monitor for household air pollution studies.