Detection of Fine Aerosols Using a Novel Aerosol Sampler

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议研究的目标是开发室内和室外超细至10微米尺寸范围内颗粒物的个人暴露监测仪。该设备将在佩戴者的呼吸区附近收集大量的环境空气，并提供浓缩的、大小分类的样本，用于实时分析或稍后在实验室进行分析。该装置将结合：(i)一种新型气溶胶浓缩器，可将颗粒浓度提高三个数量级；（ii）一种空气动力分级器，可对1至10微米的颗粒进行分类；（iii）一种静电除尘器，可捕获小于1微米的颗粒并对其进行分级。提议的监测器将提供将粒度分类器耦合到可以并行进行的许多分析分析（化学或生物）的能力。与自动数据记录和/或传输设备以及GPS或其他位置监测设备相结合，该监视器将能够提供暴露于大范围颗粒物质的时间和空间分辨率测量。在第一阶段的项目中，我们将使用先进的三维非定常CFD方法，设计一个气动粒度分类器的原型，进行概念验证实验，展示气动颗粒分类的可行性，并演示使用静电除尘器捕获纳米颗粒。在第二阶段，我们将把气溶胶取样器/粒径分级器与检测平台（可能是微流体装置）结合起来，该平台可用于并行地对每种粒径进行各种分析。公共卫生相关性：人们日益认识到，接触复杂的环境因素，如细颗粒物，可引发或加剧哮喘和心血管疾病等疾病，然而，关于特定化学或物理因素的重要性以及疾病与接触之间的因果关系，仍存在许多不确定性。标准的气溶胶收集和分析方法不能提供实时的空间和时间分辨率，而且往往非常劳动密集型和非特异性。所提出的方法将通过提供一个非常紧凑，重量轻，成本低的监测包，可以由个人佩戴，并与自动数据记录和/或传输设备以及GPS或其他位置监测设备相结合，这种个人暴露监测仪将能够提供广泛的环境气溶胶的时间和空间分辨率测量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the proposed research is to develop a personal exposure monitor for indoor and outdoor particulate matter in the ultrafine to 10 micron size range. The proposed device will collect large volumes of ambient air in the vicinity of the wearer's breathing zone and provide concentrated, size-classified samples for real-time analysis or for later analysis in a laboratory. This device will combine: (i) a novel aerosol concentrator to increase the particle concentration by up to three orders of magnitude, (ii) an aerodynamic size classifier to sort particles with sizes from 1 to 10 microns, and (iii) an electrostatic precipitator to capture and size classify particles smaller than 1 micron. The proposed monitor will provide the ability to couple the particle size classifier to a number of analytical assays (chemical or biological) that can be carried out in parallel. Combined with automated data recording and/or transmitting equipment and a GPS or other position-monitoring device, this monitor will be able to provide time- and space-resolved measurements of exposure to a wide range particulate matter. In the Phase I project-using advanced 3-dimensional, unsteady CFD methods-we will design a prototype of the aerodynamic particle size classifier, perform proof-of-concept experiments showing the feasibility of aerodynamic particle classification, and demonstrate nano-particle capture using an electrostatic precipitator. In Phase II we will combine the aerosol sampler/size classifier with a detection platform (possibly a microfluidic device) that can be used to carry out a variety of analyses on each size class in parallel. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: There is a growing awareness that exposure to complex environmental agents such as fine particulate matter can trigger or exacerbate diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular disease, however, there is still much uncertainty about the importance of specific chemical or physical factors and the causal relationship between disease and exposure. Standard aerosols collection and analysis methods cannot provide real time spatial and temporal resolution and often are often very labor intensive and non-specific. The proposed approach will overcome many of these difficulties by providing a very compact, light-weight, low-cost monitoring package that can be worn by an individual and, coupled to automated data recording and/or transmitting equipment and a GPS or other position-monitoring device, this personal exposure monitor will be able to provide time- and space-resolved measurements of a wide range of ambient aerosols.