A Miniature Monitor for Time-Resolved Airborne Particle Chemistry

描述(由申请人提供)：项目摘要/摘要：将开发一种微型“生长管收集器”，将多个连续的空气悬浮颗粒样本直接集中收集到“收集晶片”上。该仪器将单个颗粒包裹在微米直径的水滴中，通过撞击收集。这种冷凝放大是使用为我们的水基冷凝颗粒计数器开发的新技术实现的，通过这种技术，小到几纳米的颗粒在热扩散的层流中被放大到几微米大小。一旦放大，颗粒就会很容易地通过惯性方式聚集到“晶片”上。顺序样品将收集在相同的晶片上，以提供时间分辨率。收集晶片将被量身定做，以便于与芯片上实验室或标准离子色谱方法对接，从而以最少的样品处理实现经济高效的化学分析。这种方法将允许对家庭、学校、公交车、办公室、工业工作场所和个人监测器中的空气中细颗粒物进行时间分辨的化学表征。项目简介：空气中的微小颗粒物与不良健康影响、能见度下降和气候变化有关。提出了一种微型、经济高效的收集器，用于确定这些颗粒中发现的主要化学成分的每小时浓度。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Project Summary/Abstract: A miniature "growth tube collector" will be developed to provide the concentrated collection of multiple, sequential airborne particle samples directly onto a "collection wafer". This instrument will encapsulate individual particles within micrometer-diameter water droplets that are collected by impaction. This condensational enlargement is achieved using a new technology developed for our water-based condensation particle counters whereby particles as small as a few nanometers are enlarged to a size of several micrometers in a thermally diffusive, laminar flow. Once enlarged, the particles are readily collected onto the "wafer" by inertial means. Sequential samples will be collected on the same wafer to provide time resolution. The collection wafer will be tailored to readily interface with laboratory-on-a-chip or standard ion chromatography methods to permit cost-effective chemical analysis with minimal sample handling. This approach will permit time-resolved chemical characterization of airborne fine particles in homes, schools, buses, offices, industrial work places and as a personal monitor. Project Narrative: Small, airborne particles are associated with adverse health effects, with visibility degradation, and climate change. Proposed is a miniature, cost-effective collector for determining hourly concentrations of the major chemical constituents found in these particles.