A particle counter is used for monitoring and diagnosing particle contamination within specific clean media, including air, water and chemicals. Particle counters are used in a variety of applications in support of clean manufacturing practices, industries include: electronic components and assemblies, pharmaceutical drug products and medical devices, and industrial technologies such as oil and gas.

A particle counter is a useful tool for monitoring indoor air quality (IAQ) in clean rooms and workplaces, as a particle counter measures the concentration of particles in the air. While a particle counter won’t identify specifically what kinds of dusts or particulates are present in the air, a particle counter will identify how many airborne particles of a certain size are present in the environment. A conclusion is then drawn based on the known materials in the area and the corresponding airborne particle sizes of those materials.

Exposure to exhaust, smoke, harmful air pollutants and hazardous airborne dust is a health hazard and can result in sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose, itchy or red eyes, headaches, fatigue, fever, cough, shortness of breath, dermatitis, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and cancer. In addition, a number of materials are explosible in dust form. Combustible dust is a serious safety risk to workers in industries such as agriculture, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical production, furniture and textile manufacturing, fossil fuel power generation, recycling, metal working, additive manufacturing and 3D printing, among others. A particle counter can be used to monitor dust levels to ensure good housekeeping practices on the shop floor.