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Archived Comments for: Household vacuum cleaners vs. the high-volume surface sampler for collection of carpet dust samples in epidemiologic studies of children

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  1. link to actual elemental analyses, particle size, why limited elements

    Stephen Pavel, associated industry professionals

    11 March 2008

    Thank you for the open access of an excellent article and valuable conclusion. Good news the common vacuum might reduce the toxic load in the house.

    However, I was most interested in the actual values of the 9 elements selected, but I could not find a table summary or link to actual values. I was also hopeful that the particle size of the sample might be available off-line. In any case, if it is possible I would like a link to actual results.

    I am also curious why researchers typically limit investigations to so few elements. In all likelihood, those pesticides and dust particles have more elements than those that were analyzed.

    In the refining industry upper and middle management limited staff to the minimum number of elements as they did not want to be responsible for the knowledge that there were many other toxic, hazardous and poisonous substances that they were not disclosing to staff, public and governmental authorities. When full spectrum elemental analyses of the particulates, and their leachates, were performed without management awareness or approval, elements from Beryllium to Uranium were significant. As that material was part of the particulate emissions from refineries, those elements might have drifted for deposition in those households sampled.

    Thanks again.

    Competing interests

    no competing interests

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