High Precision Robotic Weighing System in Support of New Exposure Health Studies

描述(由申请人提供)：这项仪器拨款寻求资金购买一个高精度的机器人称重系统，以支持新的暴露工具和健康研究。获得这个系统直接关系到我们开发和使用减少个人和人群暴露于空气中颗粒物(PM)的不确定性的技术的长期努力，PM已被确定为改善暴露于大小颗粒物与有害健康影响之间联系所需的一个至关重要的研究领域(NRC，2004)。具体地说，一个高精度的机器人称重设施是 根据基因、环境和健康倡议开发的下一代个人颗粒物监测采样器产生的过滤器需要称重。这些监测仪的设计重量很轻，并通过使用低流量泵延长了运行时间。由测量技术实验室(MTL)制造的机器人称重系统是一种集成系统，其设计理念是能够对收集到过滤器上的颗粒物进行高精度的重量测定。该系统包括一个严格控制的环境室，一个惯性质量称重台，一个微型天平和法拉第笼，以及一个机器人控制的自动取样器，将过滤器从专门设计的不锈钢培养皿转移到微型天平上。整个系统由PC上的软件控制，数据自动写入数据库，跟踪质量保证并生成报告。机器人称重系统将是一次重大升级，将取代手动称重系统，并支持活跃用户群体的需求，由于高精度和高吞吐量能力以及较低的成本，我们预计活跃用户群体将随着时间的推移而增长。该系统将是长期运行的充电中心的一部分，该中心被整合到曼哈顿北部环境健康P30中心的暴露评估设施核心中，该中心拥有一个充满活力的调查小组，开展与环境暴露相关的公共健康研究。哥伦比亚大学的机构支持将确保该系统处于最先进的HEPA过滤实验室，并在未来几年得到良好维护，从而有时间扩大用户群体。根据目前拥有MTL系统的多个小组的经验，我们将能够在过滤器上称重颗粒物，不确定度为d1？g，这开启了许多新的研究设计，包括使用新的微型个人监测器，该监测器还可以监测佩戴顺应性和估计呼吸频率。这种能够获得如此高精度(和准确度)的空气中PM浓度的重力测定的能力，是某些应用所需的，例如新一代低流量空气监测仪，这是需要该仪器的主要理由。这个 能够做到这一点，同时增加样品吞吐量(减少积压)，并潜在地显著降低成本，将是所有设施用户的主要好处。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This instrumentation grant seeks funds to purchase a high precision robotic weighing system in support of new exposure tools and health studies. Obtaining this system is directly linked to our long term efforts to develop and use technologies that reduce the uncertainties associated with characterizing individual and population exposures to airborne particulate matter (PM), which has been identified as a critically-important area of research needed to improve the establishment of linkages between exposures to sized particles and adverse health effects (NRC, 2004). Specifically, a high precision robotic weighing facility is needed for weighing filters that are generated from the next generation of personal particulate monitor samplers that have been developed under the Genes, Environment and Health Initiative. These monitors have been designed to be light-weight and have extended run time by using low flow-rate pumps. The robotic weighing system made by Measurements Technology Laboratory (MTL) is an integrated system designed around the concept of being able to provide high precision gravimetric determinations of the particulate matter collected onto filters. The system comprises a tightly-controlled environmental chamber, an inertial mass weighing table, a microbalance and faraday cage, and a robotically controlled automatic sampler that transfers the filters from specially designed stainless steel petri-dishes to the microbalance. The whole system is controlled by software on a PC and the data are written automatically to a database that tracks quality assurance and generates reports. The robotic weighing system would be a major upgrade, replacing a manual weighing system and supporting the needs of an active user group, which we expect to grow with time due to the high precision and high throughput capabilities and lower costs. The system will be part of long running recharge center that is integrated into the Exposure Assessment Facility Core of the P30 Center of Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan that has a vibrant group of investigators carrying out public heath research related to environmental exposures. Institutional support from Columbia will insure that the system is in a state of the art, HEPA filtered laboratory and is well maintained for years to come, allowing time to expand the user group. Based on the experience of multiple groups that currently have the MTL system, we will be able to weigh particulate matter on filters with an uncertainty of d1 ¿g, which opens up many new study designs including the use of the new miniaturized personal monitors that also monitor wearing compliance and estimate respiration rates. This ability to obtain such high precision (and accuracy) of gravimetric determinations of airborne PM concentrations, which is needed for certain applications such as the new generation of low flow air monitors is a primary justification of the need for this instrument. The ability to do this while increasing sample throughput (decreasing backlogs) and potentially lowering costs significantly will be a major benefit to all facility users.