An impactor is laboratory equipment used for the collection and analysis of particulate matter in a gas or air stream. It is commonly used for environmental monitoring and occupational safety applications, such as determining the concentration of dust, smoke, or other airborne particles in a workplace or industrial setting.
An impactor works by using an impaction plate or filters to collect particles of a specific size range. The air or gas stream is passed through the impactor, where the particles are collected on the impaction plate or filter. The size of the particles collected can be controlled by adjusting the flow rate and the size of the impaction plate or filter used.
Impactors are available in various designs, including single-stage and multistage designs. Single-stage impactors have a single impaction plate or filter and are commonly used for collecting larger particles. Multistage impactors have multiple impaction plates or filters and are designed to collect particles of various sizes in different stages.
Impactors are widely used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, environmental testing, and industrial hygiene. They are also used in research and development, where the analysis of particle size and distribution is important for the development of new products and processes.