BS 1747-1:

1969

BRITISH STANDARD

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CONFIRMED
JANUARY 1986

Methods for

The measurement of
air pollution
Part 1: Deposit gauges

UDC 628.5:551.510.42:551.508.79

BS 1747-1:1969

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Co-operating organizations
The Solid Fuel Industry Standards Committee, under whose supervision this
British Standard was prepared, consists of representatives from the following
Government departments and scientific and industrial organizations:
Association of Consulting Engineers

Gas Council*

British Cast Iron Research Association

Heating and Ventilating Contractors

British Coal Utilisation Research

Association

Association
Imperial Chemical Industries Limited*

British Coke Research Association

Institute of British Foundrymen

British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers

Institute of Fuel*

Association

Institution of Gas Engineers*

British Ironfounders Association

Institution of Heating and Ventilating

British Mechanical Engineering

Confederation Limited

Engineers*
Institution of Mechanical Engineers*

British Steel Industry*

Low Temperature Coal Distillers

Chamber of Coal Traders

Association of Great Britain Limited

Chemical Industries Association

Ministry of Housing and Local

Coal Utilisation Council

Government*

Coke Oven Managers Association

Ministry of Public Building and Works

Council of Ironfoundry Associations

National Coal Board*

Domestic Solid Fuel Appliances Approval

Society of British Gas Industries

Council

Water-tube Boilermakers Association

Electricity Council, the Central Electricity

Womens Advisory Council on Solid Fuel

Generating Board and the Area Boards

in England and Wales*

The Government department and scientific and industrial organizations

marked with an asterisk in the above list, together with the following, were
directly represented on the committee entrusted with the preparation of this
British Standard:
Association of Public Health Inspectors

London Transport Board

Confederation of British Industry

Ministry of Power

Department of Employment and

Ministry of Technology Laboratory of the

Productivity (Factory Inspectorate)

Greater London Council

Government Chemist
Ministry of Technology Warren Spring

Institution of Electrical Engineers

Institution of Municipal Engineers

Laboratory
National Society for Clean Air

This British Standard, having

been approved by the Solid
Fuel Industry Standards
Committee, was published
under the authority of the
Executive Board on
16th December 1969
BSI 03-1999
First published, September, 1951
First revision, July, 1961
Second revision, December, 1969
The following BSI references
relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference SFE/21
Draft for approval 69/6537
ISBN 580 05953 7

Amendments issued since publication

Amd. No.

Date

Comments

BS 1747-1:1969

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Contents
Co-operating organizations
Foreword
Introduction
1
Scope
2
Apparatus
3
Assembly
4
Siting
5
Operation
6
Analysis of deposited matter
7
Method of reporting results
Appendix A Investigation of air pollution: report form
Figure 1 Stand with bird-guard
Figure 2 Collecting bowl
Figure 3 Inverted funnel
Figure 4 Deposit gauge assembly

BSI 03-1999

Page
Inside front cover
ii
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
4
6
7
8
9

BS 1747-1:1969

Foreword
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In order to keep abreast of progress in the industries concerned, British

Standards are subject to periodical review. Suggestions for improvements will be
recorded and in due course brought to the notice of the committees charged with
the revision of the standards to which they refer.
A complete list of British Standards, numbering over 9,000, fully indexed and
with a note of the contents of each, will be found in the BSI Catalogue which may
be purchased from BSI Sales Department. The Catalogue may be consulted in
many public libraries and similar institutions.
This standard makes reference to the following British Standards:
BS 1449, Steel plate, sheet and strip Part 4: Stainless and heat resisting plate,
sheet and strip.
BS 3014, As welded and cold drawn welded austenitic stainless steel tubes for
mechanical, structural and general engineering purposes.
Serious damage may be caused by polluting materials discharged into the
atmosphere from various sources. Such emissions can adversely affect
agricultural land and crops, can soil clothing and buildings, can corrode metal
installations and can have a harmful effect on the health of the community.
It was suggested, therefore, by interested authorities that, to assist those engaged
in dealing with this national problem, the British Standards Institution should
undertake the standardization of apparatus for the measurement of air pollution.
It was further suggested that such apparatus should be convenient for use by
technical colleges and similar institutions in order to promote widespread
knowledge of the extent of air pollution.
The pollutants emitted into the air may be arbitrarily classified as follows:
1) Solid material, such as grit, coarse enough to settle out fairly rapidly. The
quantity of such material may be assessed by the method described in Part 1
of this standard.
2) Finer material which tends to remain suspended in the air but can be
collected by filtration. Such material is commonly known as smoke and in
extreme cases it can limit visibility or cause blackening of buildings and
clothing. A method of quantitative assessment will be found in Part 2 of this
standard.
3) Gaseous impurities, which can be separated from the air by chemical means.
An example of such impurities is sulphur dioxide, which causes corrosion and
presents a health hazard. A method for the determination of this pollutant will
be found in Part 3 of this standard.
The determination of some other harmful gaseous constituents of the atmosphere
is dealt with in Part 4 of this standard.
Consideration is being given to the development of a procedure for the
determination of light air-borne particles (dust) and of the influence of
environmental factors on their deposition.
NOTE Where imperial equivalents are stated, the figures in metric units are to be regarded as the
standard. Accurate conversions should be based on the tables in BS 350, Conversion factors and
tables.

A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.
Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 9 and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on
the inside front cover.
ii

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BS 1747-1:1969

Introduction

2 Apparatus

Because of the problems arising from the discharge

of coarse material into the atmosphere from fuel
burning appliances and other sources, methods of
assessing the deposition of such material, commonly
known as grit and dust, were considered before
those for fine material and gaseous impurities and a
specification covering the construction and use of
deposit gauges was issued in 1951.
Enquiries relating to the gauges currently in
operation and experience in their use have indicated
that certain modifications to the original standard
might advantageously be made. These have been
incorporated in the present standard but it is not
intended that gauges already in use should thereby
be rendered obsolete. A number of alternative and in
some cases simpler designs have been suggested,
but until comparable results have been obtained by
experience it has not been considered desirable to
make any radical change in the existing standard
design.
The precise measurement of the solid material
deposited at any particular site is difficult and it
should be noted that the amount collected and
retained in a deposit gauge is influenced by factors
such as the height of the gauge above ground, the
nature of the site and the meteorological conditions,
e.g. wind force and rainfall. These factors have to be
borne in mind when any comparison is made of the
quantity of deposit measured at different sites, or
even at the same site under varying weather
conditions, but such comparisons may be valid in
relation to known circumstances, especially when
results are averaged over several months.
When a gauge is suitably sited, the observed
amount of deposition can reasonably be regarded as
being representative of a larger area than that
actually covered by the gauge. The period of
exposure is commonly called a calendar month, but
this is a variable number of days and for purposes of
comparison the results may be suitably expressed in
terms of the average daily rate of deposition. A
convenient unit is milligrammes of deposit per
square metre per day (mg/m2 d).

2.1 Outfit. The complete deposit gauge outfit shall

comprise the following:
1 Stand
1 Collecting bowl
3 Collecting bottles
1 Inverted funnel
1 Length of flexible tubing
1 Brush and plug
1 Rubber squeegee.
2.2 Stand. The stand shall be made of mild steel, to
the dimensions shown in Figure 1, and shall be
galvanized after the components have been joined
together. The bird-guard shall be of about 25 mm
mesh and shall be attached to the body of the stand.
It shall be constructed of a corrosion resistant
material, e.g. a plastics material. Galvanized wire
netting has been found unsatisfactory owing to its
liability to corrosion in service.
Suitable supports shall be provided on the shelf to
decrease the likelihood of accidental dislodgement of
the collecting bottle.
2.3 Collecting bowl. The collecting bowl shall be
made of chemically resistant glass or of a suitable
plastics material not prone to the accumulation of
electrostatic charge and shall be to the dimensions
shown in Figure 2. Each collecting bowl shall be
indelibly marked with a serial number and a
conversion factor shall be supplied for each bowl,
such that the weight of deposit collected, in
milligrammes, when multiplied by the factor will
represent milligrammes per square metre (mg/m2).
The same factor can also be used to convert litres (l)
of water to millimetres (mm) of rainfall (see footnote
to Clause 6).
The conversion factor shall be obtained from the
mean effective diameter of the collecting bowl,
which shall be determined by measuring the
internal and external diameters in millimetres of
the bowl at 12 points round the circumference and
taking the mean, D, of the 24 readings. The
measurements shall be made to the nearest
millimetre. The factor shall then be calculated from
the formula:

1 Scope
This Part of this British Standard specifies
requirements for the construction, installation and
use of the deposit gauge for the collection and
measurement of atmospheric impurities that are
deposited by their own weight or with the assistance
of rain. The gauge also provides an estimate of the
rainfall.
A standard report form and a statement of the
analytical determinations to be made are included.

BSI 03-1999

10
Factor = 127.3
----------------------------------2
D

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BS 1747-1:1969

2.4 Collecting bottles. The bottles shall be made of a

suitable plastics material, such as polythene1),
preferably with shoulders sloping at 45, and shall
be to the following dimensions:
Height
450 mm maximum
Diameter of neck:
External
90 mm maximum
Internal
40 75 mm
Capacity
10 20 litresa.
a

The size of bottle chosen should be adequate for maximum

local rainfall.

2.5 The inverted funnel shall be made of stainless

steel or polythene to the dimensions shown in
Figure 3. If made of steel, the tube portion shall be
of 18/8/3 CrNiMo stainless steel (e.g. BS 3014,
Grade 62)). The inverted funnel and skirt may be
made from steel of the same type or, if preferred,
from 18/8 CrNi steel (e.g. BS 1449, BS 1449-4,
Type 321 S12 or 347 S173)). In both cases the
material shall not be susceptible to weld decay. The
funnel and the tube shall be joined by welding, after
which the assembly shall be properly cleaned from
oxide by pickling in dilute nitric acid, the acid being
removed by boiling the funnel in water and
thoroughly rinsing. If made of polythene, the funnel
and skirt shall be moulded as a complete unit.
2.6 The tubing connecting the collecting bowl and
the inverted funnel shall preferably be of a suitable
plastics material, or alternatively of best quality
rubber, and of such bore that it will effectively grip
the outlet nozzle of the bowl and the inverted funnel.
2.7 Brush and plug; squeegee. A test tube or short
burette brush with a rubber bung fixed on the
handle is suitable. The squeegee may be made by
fixing a strip of hard rubber in a suitable holder.

3 Assembly
The apparatus shall be assembled as shown in
Figure 4; the skirt of the inverted funnel shall be as
close as possible to the shoulder of the bottle.
Two layers of adhesive tape shall be applied over the
tubing after assembly, to protect it from the sun and
atmosphere and thus reduce the rate of
deterioration.

4 Siting
Wherever practicable, the deposit gauge shall be
sited on level ground in an open space. If this is not
possible, the stand shall be supported so that the
rim of the collecting bowl is horizontal. It is
recommended that the holes in the feet be used to
secure the stand by means of bolts or pegs.
The distance of the deposit gauge from any object
shall be more than twice the height of the object
above the rim of the collecting bowl.
If necessary the gauge may be sited above ground
level, but the rim of the collecting bowl should be not
more than 5 m above the ground (see Foreword).
Precautions against stone-throwing or other
interference may be necessary.

5 Operation
5.1 Preliminary. The gauge shall be put into
operation, on the chosen site as described in
Clause 4, on the first day of a calendar month. If for
any reason any operation is not carried out on the
first day of the month, the fact shall be stated in the
report.
A fungicide consisting of 10 ml of 002N copper
sulphate solution (250 g of CuSO45H2O per litre)
shall be placed in the clean collecting bottle. This is
necessary to prevent the growth of algae which
would alter the chemical nature of the collected
deposit.
5.2 Final. On the first day of the following calendar
month the gauge shall be inspected and identifiable
foreign matter, such as leaves or insects, removed
from the collecting bowl. If for any reason any
operation is not carried out on the first day of the
month, the fact shall be stated in the report.
The brush shall then be inserted in the outlet of the
collecting bowl and passed downwards through the
inside of the tubing and inverted funnel until the
outlet of the bowl is securely closed by the plug
attached to the top of the brush.
About 500 ml of the liquid in-the bottle shall be
poured in to the bowl and any deposited matter
adhering to the bowl dislodged with the squeegee.
If the quantity of liquid collected in the bottle is
insufficient for this cleansing process a measured
quantity of distilled water shall be used. This
additional water shall not be added unless it is
impossible to wash out the bowl with the rainwater
collected.

1) Polythene bottles are much less liable to fracture than glass bottles. The use of existing glass bottles is permissible until
replacements are available. It should be noted that the name polythene is equivalent to the name polyethylene.
2)

BS 3014, As welded and cold drawn welded austenitic stainless steel tubes for mechanical, structural and general
engineering purposes.
3)

BS 1449, Steel plate, sheet and strip, Part 4, Stainless and heat resisting plate, sheet and strip.

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BS 1747-1:1969

The plug shall then be removed and the contents of

the bowl run, without loss, into the bottle. During
this operation the inside of the tubing and the inside
of the inverted funnel shall be cleaned by means of
the brush.
The apparatus shall then be reassembled and the
procedure described under 5.1 repeated, a clean
bottle being used.
The removed bottle, which contains the material
collected during the previous calendar month, shall
be sealed and delivered for analysis with the
following information:
1) Particulars of site.
2) Period of exposure.
3) Conversion factor supplied with the gauge.
4) Quantity of distilled water (if any) used for
cleaning the bowl.
5) A note of any unusual event, or events, which
may have influenced the character or amount of
the deposit.

6 Analysis of deposited matter

6.1 General. Analysis shall be carried out by or
under the supervision of a skilled analyst, using
accepted analytical procedures.

6.2 Normal analysis. In general, the following

information shall be obtained by the analyst:
1) The quantity of liquid collected4). This is the
total volume in the bottle less any amounts added
as described in 5.1 and 5.2.
2) The pH value of the liquid, except where
distilled water has been added.
3) The mass of total dried undissolved matter.
4) The mass of ash obtained by combustion of the
undissolved matter.
5) The mass of the residue from a measured
portion of the filtrate after evaporation to
dryness, making allowance for the sulphate
added in accordance with 5.1. The copper
sulphate shall be calculated
as CuSO4H2O (10 ml 0.0178 g).
6.3 Detailed analysis. If more information than
that provided by the normal analysis is required,
any or all of the following determinations may be
made:
Tarry matter on the residue from Item 6.2 3).
Calcium, iron, sulphate, chloride, fluoride on the
filtrate from Item 6.2 3).

7 Method of reporting results

The results shall be reported on a suitable form,
such as that illustrated in Appendix A.

4)

It is not generally desirable to convert this result to represent total rainfall, owing to possible loss of water by evaporation.

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BS 1747-1:1969

Appendix A Investigation of air pollution: report form

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BS 1747-1:1969

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BS 1747-1:1969

Figure 1 Stand with bird-guard

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BS 1747-1:1969

Figure 2 Collecting bowl

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BS 1747-1:1969

Dimensions are in millimetres

Figure 3 Inverted funnel

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BS 1747-1:1969

Figure 4 Deposit gauge assembly

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BSI
389 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 4AL

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